


Next of Kin

by jonghyundroppedthesoap



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Angst, Bittersweet, Falling In Love, Family, Gohan Raises Goten, Hinted Goten/Trunks, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Teacher AU, Tutoring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-21
Updated: 2020-08-10
Packaged: 2021-03-05 00:49:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 23,008
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25415710
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jonghyundroppedthesoap/pseuds/jonghyundroppedthesoap
Summary: Thirty-year-old Videl Satan is a teacher at Orange Star High. When one of her senior students, Son Goten, continues to receive failing grades, she is forced to contact his father. But Son Gohan doesn't seem much older than her, and for some reason, the two of them live  hours away on Mt Paozu. Just what is their story? And why does Videl feel the need to figure it out?
Relationships: Videl Satan/Son Gohan
Comments: 26
Kudos: 46





	1. Chapter 1

Ten years ago, Videl Satan never would have imagined her life would turn out like this. Not that she was unhappy – in fact, teaching proved to be a very rewarding job – but it was quite the turn from her previous dreams of being a detective. She’d left her crime fighting days behind her long ago with no regrets, falling into university life with ease. Still, as her eyes ran over the pile of unmarked papers before her now, she couldn’t help but ponder the ‘what ifs’. 

Picking up the first test paper of the stack, Videl let out an audible groan. In the left-hand corner, beside the student’s name, was a caricature of a penis. Why couldn’t she have settled with elementary school teaching? Instead, she’d immediately set her eyes on senior high school, only realizing too late how awful it could sometimes be. Red pen at the ready, she crossed out the drawing and scrawled out an angry note before continuing with the real marking. 

Four papers later and already yearning for a good cup of coffee, Videl felt her shoulders sag at the name on the next page. 

_ Son  _ _ Goten _ _. _

Goten was one of the best kids in her class. Respectful, polite, funny and popular. The only thing was… his grades were atrocious. She had tried to speak to the boy multiple times regarding the matter, and while he promised every time that he’d do his best to improve, his grades continued to slip. Reading his answers, Videl could feel the hope leaving her quickly.  _ 22% _ . No doubt another  fail for the poor boy. 

Fiddling with her pen, Videl stared at the roof in deep thought. The students’ grades were sent to their homes at the end of every term, and while Goten’s were especially bad, she had yet to receive an angry call from concerned parents. That could mean one of two things. Either his family didn’t particularly care about Goten’s schooling, or Goten was making sure they never found out. She let out a deep sigh in contemplation, feeling as though she had only one option left. She unlocked a drawer at the bottom of her desk and pulled out a pile of student records, filtering through until she found Goten’s name. At the bottom of the document read his parent/guardian details followed by a phone number. 

Videl mentally apologized to her student before punching the numbers into her phone.

_ “Hello. Son Gohan speaking.” _

Videl faltered slightly as she gathered her thoughts. “Er, hello Mr. Son. This is Miss Satan from Orange Star High.”

_ “Oh, right, um… Nice to speak with you Miss Satan. Is everything alright with  _ _ Goten _ _?” _

“Yes, everything’s fine. I’m just calling regarding Goten’s grades at school. Did you happen to see his last report card?”

_ “ _ _ Er _ _ … Report card? When was this?” _

Videl squeezed her eyes shut, half expecting this response. “Um, about a month ago. It’s sent in the mail by the school.”

_ “Uh huh, right, one second.” _

Listening in carefully, Videl could make out the sound of someone frantically rustling through papers. 

_ “I’ve had a bit of a search and well… I can’t find anything. We live a while out, you see, so the mail might not have reached us. Was the report concerning?” _

Videl could hear concern lacing Mr. Son’s voice and sighed deeply. Being the deliverer of bad news was never a fun task and doing so over the phone made it especially tedious. “Er, if I’m being completely honest, it wasn’t great. If I’d known you weren’t receiving the report cards, I would have said something sooner, I’m sorry. Is there a chance that Goten might have… you know… hidden them from you?”

_ “Definitely not. He’s an honest kid.” _

Videl couldn’t help but roll her eyes at that one. Every student’s parents seemed to think their children were innocent angels who could do no wrong. While Goten didn’t strike her as the lying kind, it was always a possibility you had to consider. 

“Right, okay. Well, there’s a lot that needs talking about, to be honest, and I don’t think we can cover everything over the phone. Is there a chance you could pop in sometime over the next week to have a meeting about Goten’s grades? I’m free most days after class.”

_ “ _ _ Er _ _ , yeah. Let me see, one second…” _ More rustling papers.  _ “I’m pretty busy this week but I could come in tomorrow if that suits you?” _

Videl quickly scanned her calendar. “Tomorrow suits me fine. I guess I’ll see you then, Mr. Son.”

_ “Of course, Miss Satan. See you tomorrow.” _

The phone clicked and Videl let out a breath of relief. While Goten’s father had been perfectly pleasant, it was never any fun telling a parent that their kid was failing. She just hoped that tomorrow evening ran as smoothly as their call had. 

***

The first thing Videl noticed upon meeting  Goten’s father was that he was  _ young _ . Too young. In fact, if Videl were to have a guess, she would estimate the man to be the same age as herself. Even if he did just possess perfect skin and a youthful demeanor, there was no way that Son Gohan was a day over thirty. Which means he must’ve had  Goten when he was…

Videl shook her head to clear those thoughts. It was unprofessional. 

Regardless, the man was undoubtedly attractive, and Videl fought down a blush as he sat across from her. She didn't usually crush on strangers, but it had been over a year since she had been with anyone and it was starting to take its toll. 

"Miss Satan," he greeted. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

Videl accepted his handshake and smiled warmly. "It's great to meet you too, Mr. Son."

"Ah, please," the man scratched the back of his neck. "Call me Gohan. Mr. Son makes me feel like a student."

"Alright then, Gohan." she laughed. "I suppose we better get down to business."

"Of course, of course.  So, his grades are really that bad, huh?"

In response, Videl simply pushed a stack of  Goten's old test papers towards him. The blaring  _ 47% _ on the first page was difficult to miss. "That's one of his best scores this year," she spoke solemnly. 

She watched as Gohan's jaw fell slightly. "Oh."

"Yeah... I was surprised to hear on the phone that you hadn't seen any of his school reports."

"You know," Gohan admitted bashfully. "I didn't even know school reports were a thing. We live really far out, so I wouldn't be surprised if it had gotten lost en route."

Videl's eyebrows lifted  skeptically . Gohan took notice immediately. "No, seriously, Miss Satan!  Goten and I live on Mount Paozu. I don't think I've ever seen a mailman there in my life."

Now that piqued her interest. Mount Paozu? As in... the 439 Mountain District? That had to be at least three hours away by jet. How on earth did Goten get to school every day?

"Mount Paozu?! That's hundreds of miles away. How does Goten even get to school?"

"Oh, he flies. And he usually spends a couple of days a week at a friend's house, too."

That sounded familiar. It was common school knowledge that Son Goten and Trunks Briefs were practically joined at the hip. "Mr. Briefs?"

"Yep. The demonic duo." He laughed.

If Videl thought that sounded a little odd, she didn't comment. Instead, her mind went back to something Gohan had  said previously . "Wait. You didn't know school reports were a thing? Surely you remember them from when you were at school... I mean, you can't be much older than me."

"You're right about that, but... I never went to school. I was home-schooled until I was around twelve and from then I just taught myself."

This family was just getting stranger and stranger. He hadn't had any proper tutoring since he was  twelve? No wonder  Goten's grades were slipping. She couldn't help looking down to study  Gohan's clothes. They seemed expensive to her, but she knew that most tradesmen were  quite wealthy. Was he a carpenter? An electrician?

"If you don't mind me asking, Gohan, what do you do for work?"

Gohan blinked. "Oh, I work at Capsule Corporation. I'm a chemical engineer."

Videl was not expecting that. She stared at Goten's father, jaw dropped. How could someone with no formal education land one of the most prestigious and challenging jobs in the world? It made zero sense.

"Right. Well, that's amazing! Do you help  Goten with his  schoolwork at all? Surely you have the brains."

Gohan looked down at this, bashful. "I don't help him as much as I should," he admitted. "I work long hours and I honestly didn't know he was struggling this much."

Videl sighed. Goten was genuinely a great kid and his father was nice enough. Did she offer to help them herself?

Licking her lips, Videl made her decision. It simply seemed like the right thin g to do. 

"Well, if you would like..." she started. "I could help tutor Goten on the weekends? Exams are coming up soon and I really don't want him to fail."

Gohan's eyes widened. "Oh, wow. That's really very kind of you, Miss Satan. But you already do so much  during school. "

She shrugged. "I don't really have any better way to spend my time. Besides, I know that Goten's quite good at sports. If we can bump his grades up to a pass, I think he could be eligible for a college sport scholarship."

"Damn, seriously? Well... that's really tempting." The man sat for a few silent moments, contemplating. "I mean, I would love for you to tutor Goten. But please let me offer you compensation."

_ Compensation? _ Didn't this man know how rich she was?

"Like I said before," he continued. "We live very far away. Just getting to our house would take a few hours.  So, the least I can do is pay you."

Videl frowned. Gohan was right... it was a long trek and she didn't like relying on her father's money for everything. Sighing, she nodded her head in agreement. "Fine. But we can discuss that later. For now, we can organise a timetable that best suits everyone."

Goten's father shot her a dazzling smile and she had to look away to prevent the oncoming blush. Going to this man's house every weekend was going to end up being a  _ bad _ idea. But she was doing this for  Goten .  Goten . Nothing else. And besides. What about  Goten's mother?

***

For the rest of the school week,  Goten barely looked at her in class. She could tell he was embarrassed at the predicamen t. After all, who would want to spend every weekend studying with their teacher? Certainly not her. 

But it had to be done. Final exams were just around the corner and she couldn’t allow her students to fail.  And it wasn’t as though this was her first attempt at helping the boy, either. She had told him time and time again that he needed to improve his grades, yet they continued to fall.  This was the final straw, and she couldn’t complain at the extra cash coming her way. 

That was how she found herself in her  jetcopter early Saturday morning. Flying out of the city and towards the mountains, Videl  programmed the coordinates Gohan had given her into her jet. Time remaining:  _ one hour and  _ _ fifty-three _ _ minutes _ . Not as bad as she had initially though t. Technology must have improved a lot recently.

It was still going to be a boring journey thoug h, so Videl contented herself with listening to music and watching the passing scenery. It seemed odd that a young father and his son had settled down in a location so isolated. How could that be practical for either of them? Considering  Goten at tended school in Satan City and Gohan worked in West City, half of their time w ould be spent commuting. Not to mention things like grocery shopping and  socialising . 

The Son family were an enigma she needed to solve. It had been a while since her detective urges had made an appearance, but something about this case  yearned for answers. 

The time passed relatively fast, and Videl kept her eyes peeled as the coordinates got closer.  Green mountains and cool valleys spread across the land, with trees and wildlife decorating its surface. It seemed  unlikely that there would be a house situated  within this environment, but simultaneously, it was  _ beautiful _ . 

And it was with that thought that the landscape began to clear, presenting an opening among the hills. Within that opening sat a small capsule home . It was quaint in appearance and smoke danced on the chimney top. For miles and miles surrounding, there were field s of grass and flowers that blew with the wind, and Videl could vaguely make out a small lake in the distance. 

She felt herself smiling at the view. She had rarely been out of the city in her life, but seeing this home made her regret not doing so sooner. It was so  serene. And while the commute would be hell, it would be worth it just to come back here every night. 

Her  jetcopter slowly began its descent, landing  several  yards away from the Son’s front door. 

This was it, Videl thought to herself. From here on out, every weekend for three months would be spent at this exact house. Eight whole hours of her weekend would be spent in her jetcopter, and the rest, tutoring a boy who was well on his way to failing senior year. 

She only hoped her efforts wouldn’t be in vain. 


	2. Chapter 2

Videl took a deep breath, making sure she had all her textbooks with her before knocking on the front door. She had drafted up a study plan the night prior, and today she would be starting Goten on content the class learned months ago. Figuring she was as best prepared as possible, Videl reached forward and tapped her knuckles against the wooden frame. 

“Goten!” came a loud voice. “Your teacher is here! Get the door.” 

And then, “I know, dad! Chill out!” 

“I am chill! Just letting you know!” 

Videl bit her lip to stifle a laugh, listening in as a pair of footsteps got nearer. Soon the door opened, revealing an exasperated Goten. He looked bashful, knowing quite well that Videl had heard their yelling. “Hi, Miss Satan,” he greeted. “Come on in.” 

“Thanks, Goten.” Videl followed Goten into the small house and immediately began to take in her surroundings. 

It was a modest home. A fireplace crackled softly by the lounge room to her left, surrounded by two sofas and a small television. Behind the lounge was the kitchen, where a large mound of dishes was currently drying on a rack. The delicious scent of rice, eggs and grilled fish still lingered in the air from breakfast, and it made Videl’s measly bowl of cereal pale in comparison. She breathed in deeply, immediately comfortable. A small dining area sat beside the kitchen, where Goten’s schoolbooks were currently waiting in a pile. She noticed him eyeing them distastefully and laughed aloud. 

“Come on, Goten. It won’t be that bad. The time will fly.” 

“You have to say that. You’re my teacher,” he rolled his eyes jokingly, trudging towards the dining table. “Did you want me to give you a quick tour or somethin’?” 

Videl hesitated, not expecting the offer. “Um, sure. If you’d like, that would be lovely.” 

Goten grinned a wide, toothy grin not dissimilar to his father’s. “Alrighty! Follow me, Miss.” 

First, he motioned to a door to the right of where they had entered. “This here’s my room. I don’t suppose we’ll be needing it anytime soon, so... Let’s keep going.” 

They continued past the kitchen/dining room and into a hallway. “The toilet and bathroom are just to the left here, so um, feel free to go whenever you need. And if we continue down here...” Videl followed loyally behind as they reached a door at the end of the hall. “This is my dad’s room and study. He works from home on the weekends so I’m not really meant to disrupt him, but it should be fine.” 

Videl blinked. “Oh no, don’t worry about interrupting--” 

Too late. Goten had already opened the door and was poking his head inside. “Hey, dad? Yeah. We’re here to say ‘hi’.” 

A playful _‘tsk’_ sounded from inside. “Alright then, come on in.” 

Feeling as though she was imposing, Videl tried to make herself as small as possible as she made her way into Son Gohan’s room. But it was fruitless. As soon as she entered, the man was greeting her with an infectious smile. “Hiya, Miss Satan. Nice to see you again.” 

“You too, Gohan. And please, call me Videl.” 

He scratched the back of his neck, laughing. It was something she had seen Goten do on many occasions. Definitely a family thing. “Oh, alright. Well, it’s nice to see you again, _Videl_.” 

If her eyes weren’t fooling her, Videl was certain that Gohan had started to blush. And in all honesty, it was sort of cute. She giggled softly, prompting a gagging sound from Goten. 

“Alright, I’m gonna go study now. You two can keep flirting if you want.” 

Immediately, Videl recoiled. 

“I’m not flirting!” she exclaimed, face beet red. “You were the one who showed me up here!” 

Gohan sat silently, head buried in his hands. As Goten scurried back off down the hallway laughing, he finally looked up to meet Videl’s gaze. “Yeah... Sorry about him. I, um, should leave you two to it.” 

Videl suppressed a smile. “It’s fine. Trust me: I deal with a lot worse at school.” 

“Yeah. I don’t doubt it.” 

“Does he get his mischievous side from you?” 

Gohan’s brows rose. “Me? Heck no. That’s probably Trunks’ influence.” 

“Ah, makes sense.” 

Silence ensued. The two simply stared at their feet, listening to the hum of Gohan’s computer. 

“Right,” Videl finally spoke up. “Well, I better get back to Goten.” 

Gohan cleared his throat, nodding quickly. “Yes, yes. Definitely go do that. Have fun with your, er, studying and stuff. And if you need anything, let me know. I’ll be cooking lunch soon, anyway, so...” 

“Oh, right. Alright.” 

“Yep. Good ol’ lunch.” 

“Good ol’ lunch. Sounds good.” 

*** 

Videl wanted to die. That had been the most awkward experience of her life, no doubt. As she made her way back into the main living area, she purposefully ignored the cheeky look Goten was giving her. 

“Alright. It’s study time, mister. We’ll start off with maths. Do you have your workbook with you?” 

Goten held up a gridded exercise book. “Right here.” 

“Great. So, the first thing you guys worked on was matrices, right? Can you tell me what an identity matrix is?” 

Goten blinked, flicking through his book. “Er...” 

If this was a mockumentary, Videl’s gaze would’ve gone straight to the camera. This was going to be a _long_ three months. 

As teacher and pupil finally got into the hang of things, time seemed to fly by rather pleasantly. Goten wasn’t a bad learner in an individual environment and had even managed to solve some difficult problems on his own. They had taken a break from maths and were just moving onto history when Gohan appeared from the hall. “Anyone hungry?” 

In response, Goten’s stomach grumbled loudly. He shrugged sheepishly at Videl. 

“I feel ya, little man.” Gohan laughed, moving into the kitchen. He began to grab ingredients from the cupboard, placing them on the bench for preparation. “How does seafood ramen sound? And maybe some dumplings.” 

“Sounds bloody fantastic.” 

Gohan shot Goten a meaningful look. “Language.” 

“Sorry.” 

The eldest Son smiled at the apology before turning to Videl. “That sound good to you?” 

“Um, yeah, amazing. Would you like some help?” 

“Nah. You just keep helping Goten with his studies while I whip this up. Shouldn’t take long.” 

Judging by the amount of ingredients currently on the kitchen bench, Videl highly doubted that. But she shrugged it off and turned back to Goten. “You heard your dad. Let’s keep going with our work on the Mutaito Massacre.” 

*** 

To her utmost surprise, Gohan hadn’t been kidding when he said the food ‘wouldn’t take long’. Even Videl had found it difficult to concentrate while he was cooking, having to apologize to Goten on multiple occasions. 

“Don’t worry, Miss. Same thing happens to me daily. These scents are just too good to ignore.” 

Videl could only nod. 

“Well, lucky for you, I don’t have to torment you guys for much longer,” Gohan interrupted. “The food is ready. Could you help clear the table, ‘Ten?” 

Goten agreed enthusiastically, hurriedly stacking all their books together and moving them to the nearby coffee table. Videl barely had time to blink before the books had been replaced with steaming dishes, so large that they filled the entire table. “Take a seat, Videl! Anything I can get you to drink? Water, soda, juice, coffee?” 

“Um...” Videl could barely think with all this food before her. She slid back into her seat and nodded absently. “Soda might be nice?” 

“Coming right up!” 

The aspect of food had _really_ brightened these Son boys up. 

As Gohan placed a can of grape soda before her, she couldn’t help but ask. “Gohan... isn’t this a bit much for just the three of us? Or are you expecting someone?” 

Gohan blinked. “Um, nope. Just us three. Goten and I usually eat this much so it shouldn’t be a problem.” 

“ _This_ much?!” 

“Yep!” Goten interrupted, sliding in next to Videl. “Isn’t it great? Dig in, Miss Satan!” 

Sitting across from her, Gohan smiled in encouragement. “Let’s eat.” 

And with that, the chaos began. 

Although the two seemed to use manners just fine, it was the speed with which they consumed the food that astounded her. How anybody could eat that much food so quickly was a mystery to her. It was yet another thing about their family that confused Videl immensely. 

Feeling stupid just watching, Videl slowly started to eat herself. And immediately, her tastebuds danced with the flavours presented. This meal was quite potentially one of the best she had ever eaten. And she had grown up in a mansion where qualified chefs cooked her every meal. 

“Kami, Gohan! This is delicious. Who taught you to cook like this?” 

It could have been her eyes tricking her, but Gohan’s expression seemed to become solemn at that question. “Oh. My mother did. You really like it?” 

“Are you kidding me? It’s amazing! Better than anything our chefs have ever made.” 

Gohan tilted his head. “Your... chefs?” 

“Don’t you know, dad?” Goten mumbled through a large mouthful of food. “Miss Satan is famous. Her dad is that guy with the afro. You know... Mister Satan? The guy who er,” he shot Gohan a secret look, “beat Cell.” 

The room immediately became silent. 

Videl couldn’t believe it. This guy didn’t even know who her father was? And what was with Goten’s tone? He sounded almost sarcastic. She looked to Gohan. 

His face had changed completely. Rather than the joyful, carefree expression that usually embellished Gohan’s face, it was now one of anguish. His eyes seemed almost... empty. Like he was remembering something from eons ago. Maybe he was. 

Before she could ponder on it for any longer, Goten cleared his throat. “ _Dad_.” 

Gohan blinked, and with that, his face was back to normal. “Mister Satan? Yeah, I think I remember him. That’s pretty cool, Videl.” 

Videl could tell there was no conviction behind his words but decided not to push it. She was here to tutor Goten. Not interrogate his family into submission. Instead, she simply returned to her meal, prompting the others to follow suit. 

Despite the odd interruption, they continued to eat with enthusiasm until all the food had magically disappeared. She didn’t know how they had done it, but somehow, the two boys had eaten the portion of an entire football team. Where did it all go? They certainly looked fit enough. Maybe they just had fast metabolisms. 

Shrugging it off, Videl gathered her plates and brought them over to the kitchen sink. “Thanks for lunch, Gohan. Can I help with the washing up?” 

“Of course not. I’ve got everything organised here. You just get back into the studying, hm?” With that, he looked pointedly at Goten. “How’s it going with everything, bud?” 

Goten looked up from where he was tidying the table. “It’s been… surprisingly okay. Everything seems a lot easier when there aren’t other people around.”

“Hm. Maybe that’s why mum always homeschooled me. She didn’t want me to be influenced by delinquents.”

“That sounds about right.” Goten laughed. “She’d probably hate me going to school.”

Gohan shook his head. “Nah. You get to make tons of friends at school. I didn’t really have anyone.”

Immediately, Goten’s smile fell. “Oh.”

“Oi.” Gohan walked over and ruffled Goten’s hair, an action Goten pretended to despise. “That doesn’t matter now. I’ve got you. So brighten up and get into those books, hey?”

“Right.” Goten agreed, sharing one last smile with Gohan before heading back to retrieve his books. “What are you waiting for, Miss? Let’s get back into some history.”

Videl had observed the entire exchange and felt the gears in her head spinning. She needed to process as much information as possible before leaving today. She didn’t exactly know why, but there was something about these two that she needed to get to the bottom to. It was an inherent detective trait she had possessed her entire life.

Goten’s grandmother would have hated him going to an actual school? How could someone prefer homeschooling? And they were always talking about her in past tense. Had she passed away? Considering Gohan’s age, she couldn’t have been very old at all. It was honestly quite sad. Not to mention that Gohan apparently had no friends when he was a kid.

It was depressing to think about, especially seeing she was meant to be back in tutoring mode. Shaking her head, Videl vowed to come back to her thoughts at a later, more suitable time. The jetcopter ride back home would provide plenty of time to consider everything she had learned.

With all the books back on the table, Videl stretched out her arms and legs before getting back into position. “Alright, Goten. We’re up to the part where Mutaito’s students are killed by King Piccolo. Can you recall what any historians had to say on the matter?”

***

Videl dried her hands on the towel provided, checking her appearance one last time in the mirror before exiting the bathroom. As she turned to reenter the living area, her eyes stumbled upon something that had escaped her notice earlier. It was another door to the left, just past the bathroom and before Gohan’s study. Strange. Goten hadn’t mentioned this room before. She wondered what was inside.

Was it a guest bedroom? A study? Maybe another bathroom.

Despite her curiosity, however, Videl couldn’t bring herself to open the door. A gut feeling told Videl that this door was closed for a reason, and at this point in time, she didn’t have the guts to investigate. She had plenty more time in the future to figure out what was inside. Besides, Goten was a very honest person. Chances were he would tell her if she asked. Making up her mind, Videl turned away from the mysterious door and made her way out into the dining room.

“All right, break time’s over,” she announced. “You keen to do some English?”

Her only response was a groan. 


	3. Chapter 3

Videl’s weekend visits continued similarly every week, and she soon convinced Gohan to let her help with the dishes. 

_“It’s the least I can do considering you cook me lunch. Besides, Goten deserves a short break.”_

Each day, Goten would work on several different subjects, covering a few chapters of each. Videl would also assign him extra homework throughout the week while making sure he stayed on top of the current content they were learning in school. Overall, things were coming along nicely, and some of Goten’s grades had already lifted by the three week mark. Perhaps that was why, when she flew her copter towards their house on the fourth Saturday, she was met with different view.

Rather than Goten waiting diligently for her inside the house, he and Gohan were currently on the front lawn. Donned in sleeveless gi, the two stood across from one another in a fighting stance. It was the first time she had seen Gohan in anything but a button shirt, and Videl was genuinely surprised at the definition in his arms.

If she didn’t know any better, she would have guessed that the two of them had been training in martial arts their whole lives. But that couldn’t be right, could it? They hadn’t mentioned anything to her before. Gohan also spent a majority of his time either working or looking after Goten, so she doubted he had much time to train.

These assumptions were contradicted by the sight before her. As she landed in her usual spot, Goten turned to give her an acknowledging wave before turning back to his father.

“Hey, Videl! We’re just about finished Goten’s training. Feel free to watch!” called Gohan.

She jumped down onto the grass and headed closer to take him up on the offer. She had grown up a martial artist and could never pass up a good fight. Since she had settled into teaching, there hadn’t been many opportunities to watch or participate in martial arts, so the idea was very exciting.

Pleased that he had someone to show off to, Goten took this as his opportunity to attack. Charging forward, he immediately aimed a fierce right hook into Gohan’s face. Surprisingly, it was dodged with ease before countered with a kick to Goten’s abdomen. Videl winced. Being winded was never a nice feeling.

However, though the hit had landed, Goten continued on like nothing had happened. The pace began to pick up, with jabs, blocks and dodges weaving together. It was almost as though the two of them were dancing. Every move was executed perfectly and with poise, their stances never faltering in the slightest.

Videl found herself frozen in place. This technique and speed… It was something she had never witnessed before. Not even her father had displayed this sort of skill in his prime, instead relying on brute strength and theatrics. Gohan and Goten were something else entirely. And even though everything seemed perfect to her, she could still hear Gohan correcting Goten as they sparred.

“Your emotions are getting the best of you, ‘Ten. Remember to focus on your senses. Feel my next move and _then_ counter!”

“I’m trying!” Goten gritted out, pace quickening.

Even Videl could feel his frustration. If he continued like this for long, the match would be over.

And over it was. In an instant, Gohan was behind Goten, pinning his arms with a full nelson.

“That’ll do for today,” he spoke softly. “You did great.”

Goten shrugged him off and rolled his eyes. “Yeah, yeah. You say that every day.”

“Because I mean it. Now, go tidy up. You’ve got studying to do, hm?”

Goten nodded, giving Videl a small wave before scurrying off inside. The teacher turned to Gohan.

“That was seriously impressive,” she gushed. “How long have you guys been training?”

Grabbing a small towel off the grass, Gohan wiped the sweat from his brow. “I’ve been training with Goten since he was probably… three? And I started when I was about four.”

Videl’s face immediately screwed up. “Since he was _three_? Isn’t that a bit extreme for a toddler?”

Gohan shrugged and gestured for Videl to follow him inside. “I would have thought so, too. But he was the one asking me. Ever since he first saw me training with a family friend, he never stopped begging. So, I gave in. It was only super easy stuff at first. And he’s turned out pretty alright, don’t you think?”

All she could manage to do was nod in agreement. Goten was more than alright. He was genuinely one of the best martial artists she had ever seen. Not to mention his father/mentor. This family only got stranger by the day.

“Anyway,” Gohan continued. “Once Goten is out of the shower, you guys can get started and I’ll leave you alone. But can I grab you anything in the meantime?”

***

With Goten working on some maths questions individually, Videl couldn’t help her mind from wandering. She could vaguely hear the shower running and knew that if she wanted answers, she would have to ask for them soon. Weeks had passed with her curiosity building and Videl didn’t think she could wait much longer. Now, an opportunity had presented itself, and she would be a fool not to take it.

“So…” she began quietly, not wanting to distract Goten entirely. “That was some great sparring earlier. I heard you started pretty young.”

“Hm?” Goten looked up. “Oh, yeah. Dad’s been training me since I was three. I can’t fall behind Trunks, after all.”

That was right. Trunks was pretty popular within school for being a great fighter. The two were obviously best friends, so it made sense Goten also trained. “Has he been training for that long, too?”

“Yeah. He probably started younger than me, to be honest. His dad is pretty crazy about that stuff.”

Videl hummed to herself. “Is your dad like that?”

“Oh, not really. He is _way_ better than me, but I know he doesn’t actually like fighting that much. I’m the one always asking him to train, to be honest.”

Gohan didn’t like fighting? How could someone with so much talent not even appreciate it? The thought was crazy to Videl. Fighting had been her whole life growing up. She had watched it, breathed it and lived it. Considering Gohan told her he had been training since the age of four, surely he enjoyed it to an extent.

Without prompt, Goten continued to talk. It seemed to be something he thought about often.

“I know I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but dad’s childhood wasn’t great. He carries a lot of trauma and bad memories, so… I don’t really blame him. And unlike me, he was forced to fight. No four-year-old should be _made_ to fight, y’know? He’s always liked his books a lot more.”

Videl sat in silence, processing these words. They had both given up on Goten’s maths questions.

Forced to fight at four years old? And to this day, he still carried bad memories and trauma. Videl couldn’t help but be overcome with sadness. She barely knew Son Gohan, and while she didn’t know the exact circumstances either, she knew Goten was deadly serious. Suddenly, everything wasn’t so black and white anymore.

Guilt overcame her. All she had cared about was answers, and meanwhile, part of this family was suffering. She wasn’t sure why, but somehow, Videl urged to help them. Even if it was just a listening ear.

“Thanks for telling me, Goten. Your dad sounds a lot braver than I gave him credit for.”

Goten offered her a small, tense smile. “You don’t know the half of it.”

***

With all of her things packed to head back home, the last thing Videl expected was for a dishevelled Trunks Briefs to walk through the front door.

“Goten! You gotta help, dad’s about to kill me.”

From his position on the sofa, Gohan rolled his eyes. “What this time, Trunks?”

Trunks turned to Gohan, anxiously bouncing on his toes. “I accidentally broke the gravity room. I mean, I _say_ accidentally, but it was kind of an experiment involving baked beans, which makes things, like, ten times worse. He doesn’t know yet, but as soon as he notices, he’s headed straight here to whoop my ass. So, please, Gohan, for the love of Kami, let me stay here.”

While Videl could only blink at this, Goten seemed to find it immensely funny. He began to laugh hysterically, catching Trunks’ attention and immediately drawing his eyes to Videl.

“Miss Satan!” he exclaimed, a dark blush climbing onto his cheeks. “I’m so sorry, I had no idea you’d still be here. Um…”

“It’s fine, Trunks,” interrupted Gohan with a laugh. “You can stay for dinner. But if Vegeta comes here looking for you, you’re on your own.”

Trunks exhaled loudly, playfully collapsing into Goten. “Thank you, Gohan. You’re an absolute life saver. Goten, did I ever tell you I love your dad more than you?”

“Yuck,” laughed Goten, pushing Trunks away slightly. “Maybe I’ll call Vegeta to dob you in. You guys can have a lovely dinner of baked beans on toast.”

Trunks paled, transferring his weight to instead wrap Goten in a hug. “Sorry, ‘Ten. Just kidding. Please. I don’t think I can ever look at baked beans again.”

Not only was this the strangest encounter Videl had ever witnessed, but it was also immensely confusing. Just how had Trunks’ got here so fast? And if his father was after him, surely he had plenty of time to hide? Mount Paozu was easily two hours from West City, if not longer, and she knew that was where the Briefs resided.

The baked beans, well… That was another story entirely.

“If Trunks is staying, you may as well invite Miss Satan to join us, dad. What’s one extra?”

Videl shook her head furiously. “No, no, no. I impose on you guys enough. I’ll just head home.”

“No, Goten’s right,” Gohan spoke. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a few guests over. And you’ve really helped Goten improve his grades. Let it be a ‘thank you’.”

She was tempted to say, _“Isn’t that why you pay me?”,_ but figured it wasn’t quite appropriate. Besides, it was just one meal. There was no harm in staying a bit longer. The things Goten had told her earlier also made her eager to get to know Gohan a bit more personally. If anything, this was the perfect opportunity.

Sighing loudly in surrender, Videl nodded her head. “Okay, I’ll stay. But only because you insisted.”

“Sweet,” piped Trunks. “Let’s get our party on. It’s about time you oldies loosened up.”

Had this been at school, Videl would have scolded Trunks immediately. What he said was true, though. She _did_ need to loosen up. When was the last time she had allowed herself to relax and get to know people? It seemed like eons ago.

“Oldies?” Gohan scoffed. “Excuse me, but I’ve been told I’m very youthful for my age.”

Goten snickered alongside Trunks. “Whatever, old man. Did you want Trunks and I to go catch some fish for dinner?”

“That’d be great. I think two should be enough. I’ve got plenty of rice and vegetables here.”

“Sweet. We’ll be back soon, then.”

“Alright. Oh, and Goten?”

“Hm?”

Gohan flashed the two boys a knowing grin. “No funny stuff.”

Rolling his eyes, Goten hurriedly grabbed Trunks by the sleeve and they were out of the door in a flash.

Videl turned to look at Gohan questioningly. “What was all that about?”

“Two teenage boys left to themselves with no adult supervision… Surely you can put the dots together.”

It took Videl an embarrassingly long time to realise what Gohan was saying, but when she did, she wanted to slap herself for not realising sooner. “You mean… those two? They’re…”

“Together. Dating. Whatever you want to call it, yeah. I thought it was obvious.”

“Kami… It probably is. My observation skills have just _really_ been lacking lately. That’s super cute, though. How long have they been together?”

With Gohan settled easily on the sofa, Videl decided she should probably sit down on the one perpendicular. Standing up would just be awkward, and she might as well make herself comfortable if she was staying for dinner. 

“I think since the start of last year? That was when ‘Ten told me, anyway. They’ve been best friends since Goten was born, though. It seemed like this final step was only inevitable.”

If she had been with Erasa, Videl might have squealed. “That’s so romantic! I wish love was that easy for us adults.”

Gohan hummed. “You got that right. I honestly don’t think I’ve even kissed anyone since I was twenty.”

“Twenty?!” That was extreme.

Noticing the expression on Videl’s face, Gohan could only laugh. “Yep. Embarrassing, I know. After university, I settled into work full-time. Alongside raising Goten, I’ve just never really had the time. But I’m perfectly happy with how things are.”

While Gohan genuinely did seem happy, Videl still felt sorry for him. He must have started raising Goten when he was a teenager himself, and his whole early adulthood had been spent taking care of someone else. He’s probably never had the chance to live his own life. It was obvious Gohan loved Goten more than anything in the world, but it still wasn’t an ideal situation. Just how had he ended up with a son at such a young age?

“What about in the future? Do you think you’ll want to settle down with someone?”

“Oh, definitely. Goten’s nearly graduated, so… Hopefully I’ll meet someone soon.”

Videl smiled warmly. She hadn’t known Gohan for long, but from what she had gathered so far, he deserved the best.

“If you don’t mind me asking,” she began hesitantly. “What happened to Goten’s mother?”

Gohan’s face fell immediately.

_Way to kill the mood, Videl._

“She passed away.”

His words were laced with desolation, but in his eyes, Videl detected something else. Bitterness? Anger? She couldn’t quite pinpoint it.

“I’m so sorry, Gohan. I shouldn’t have asked.”

“No, no. It’s fine. Besides, it happened a long time ago. You’d think I’d be over it by now.”

He laughed to himself humourlessly, and Videl prayed that Goten and Trunks would soon return with the fish. His mood had flipped completely, and Videl didn’t know him well enough to turn it back around.

***

Once dinner was finished, the four of them contented themselves with watching television for a few hours and talking amongst each other. The hours passed quickly, and soon, Videl realised she wouldn’t get back home until after ten. With some convincing from Gohan, it was decided that Videl would spend the night at their house. It was already too late, and considering Videl had to come back tomorrow anyway, it was the most feasible option.

Goten and Trunks eventually retired to the younger’s bedroom, and after some insistence, Gohan had finally conceded for Videl to sleep on the couch.

_“Please, take my bed. I can sleep on the couch.”_

_“Gohan, no. You’ve fed me twice, kept me accommodated all day, and now you’re letting me stay the night. I’m sleeping on the couch whether you like it or not.”_

While people didn’t usually appreciate her bossy attitude, something in Gohan’s eyes seemed to sparkle at it. It was like he revelled in being told what to do for once.

_“Alright, fine. You win. But if you find it uncomfortable, don’t come complaining to me.”_

_“Deal.”_

Now that everyone had retreated to bed, the large expanse of the living area seemed almost eerie. The lights had all been switched off, and the only sound present was that of Goten’s snores. Videl didn’t usually sleep this early, so she was finding it difficult to fall asleep.

Sitting up on the couch, Videl allowed her eyes to wander.

Something she hadn’t noticed before was a small photo frame nestled on the television cabinet. It was tucked in close to a pot plant, so your eyes weren’t immediately drawn to it. Curiosity getting the better of her, Videl slipped off her makeshift bed and walked quietly over to the frame. She picked it up with gentle hands, eyes immediately widening at the sight she was met with.

In the photo were three people. A boy who she assumed was a younger Gohan, a middle-aged woman with her hair in a tight bun, and in her arms, a small baby. Their smiles were bright, but she noticed a tension within their faces.

Videl narrowed her eyes. Was that baby… Goten? Who was the woman holding him? Videl could only assume that it was Gohan’s deceased mother. If she didn’t know any better, Videl would have guessed that she was Goten’s mother, too, but that wouldn’t make any sense—

She froze. What on earth was she thinking? _Of course_ it made sense! Gohan had just mentioned earlier that Goten’s mother had passed away. Surely it wasn’t a coincidence. And _obviously_ Gohan was way too young to have an actual son. Videl scolded herself for even believing that in the first place. Heart hammering in her chest from this discovery, the last thing Videl expected was for a quiet, “Ahem”, to knock her from her reverie. She whipped her head around, eyes landing on an amused Gohan.

“Can’t sleep?” he questioned.

Videl shook her head slowly, glancing back down at the frame in her hands with shame. “Er, no. Sorry for um, looking, I just… It caught my attention.”

“That’s alright. I can’t sleep, either.” Gohan joined her on the floor, leaning over slightly to look at the photo in her hands. “That was taken a long time ago. Aren’t I cute?”

It was obvious that he was trying to lighten the mood, but Videl couldn’t offer him a smile. She spoke softly. “That’s your mother, isn’t it?”

He nodded slowly. “Yes. That was the last photo ever taken of her.”

Instinctively, her grip tightened in preservation. “She’s beautiful.”

“She really is. The strongest woman I’ve ever known, too.”

Videl swallowed thickly. “Hey, Gohan?”

Gohan turned to meet Videl’s gaze. “Yeah?”

“Goten… he’s not really your son, is he?”

“No.” he smiled solemnly. “You’re quite the detective, Videl.”

Videl laugh danced through the air.

“He’s my brother,” Gohan admitted. “He was born when I was eleven.”

“And you raised him by yourself?”

Gohan looked away, fiddling with the carpet beneath him. “I had a bit of help, but… Yeah. My mother passed a year after Goten was born and I was the only one he had left. I had to.”

“You were only a boy.”

He didn’t argue with that statement. Instead he could only nod. His voice, broken and desperate, sounded through the silence.

“I was only a boy.”


	4. Chapter 4

When she awoke the next morning from her position on the sofa, everybody but her seemed to be bustling around. A delicious aroma wafted from the kitchen and she could hear Goten and Trunks arguing over who had hogged the blanket. Videl couldn’t suppress a smile from spreading over her face.

Now this was something she could get used to.

“Morning, sleepyhead.” Gohan looked down at her from behind the couch. “Fancy some egg rolls?”

“Uh, yeah, please. What time is it?”

Gohan glanced at his watch. “About half past six?”

“ _Six?!”_

Waking up that early on a Sunday had to be a crime. And why was everyone so lively?

“You can go back to sleep if you want,” he offered kindly. “I’ll tell the boys to pipe down.”

Videl shook her head and pushed the blanket aside. “No, no, it’s fine. I may as well be productive now that I’m up. Is it alright if I take a shower?”

Gohan grandly gestured to the hall door. “Go ahead. There should be some towels in the cupboard beneath the sink.

“Thanks, Gohan.” Videl scurried off towards the bathroom, mouth watering on her way past the kitchen.

After yesterday’s late night chat on the living room floor, Videl had half expected things to be awkward between the two of them. Especially considering it had started due to her looking at something she probably wasn’t meant to. But it didn’t seem awkward at all. Rather, there was a different air between them. One of understanding and solidarity. When Gohan had smiled at her moments ago, it had seemed less guarded. Vulnerable, almost. She didn’t know why, but as Videl showered, she felt herself smiling at the memory.

She couldn’t quite pinpoint the feeling inside of her. She wasn’t necessarily giddy or overly joyful. She just felt _warm_. So warm and so content, that she didn’t think she ever wanted to leave the Son house. But that thought was foolish.

Goten was her student. She was tutoring him on the weekends for three months, and once those three months were over, she would never have to deal with him or his father again.

The thought saddened Videl greatly.

***

Once she had showered, the day kicked off. Trunks had to leave before breakfast to settle things with his father ‘before they got too bad’, but despite him being long gone within minutes, Videl had never heard a jet.

She questioned Gohan about it and he replied simply. “His mother owns Capsule Corp. Of course he has the best products out there.”

It made plenty of sense, so Videl merely shrugged and let it go.

They ate breakfast in peace. Every now and then, Videl would erupt with laughter at the volume Goten slurped his soup with, prompting the boy’s face to burn red.

“It’s just so good,” he mumbled between a mouthful of rice. “It’s how I show my gratitude.”

Gohan rolled his eyes at this, sharing an amused look with Videl. “Teenagers.” he jibed. “Who’d have ‘em?”

Once everyone had finished eating, Videl helped the two boys tidy up as usual, making sure everything was in its rightful place before commencing with Goten’s study.

“Alright, Goten. We basically finished matrices yesterday, which means we can move on to linear equations. How does that sound?”

“But I was just getting the hang of it,” he complained.

“I know. But you’ve got all the information organised in your exercise book, so you can look back anytime. For now, we have to catch up on the next topic.”

Humming in resignation, the two got to work, learning mathematic rules and putting them into practice. The entire day wiled away similarly, with Japanese literature and biology also being part of the mix.

“You’ve done great today, Goten,” Videl complimented as 4:00pm rolled around, packing her textbooks and study guides into her bag. “We got through a lot more than I anticipated.”

Goten preened and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. “Thanks, Miss. I really liked the stuff about natural selection.”

Videl grinned. “It’s interesting, right? Anyway, where’s your dad? I wanted to ask him something…”

“Right here,” came a voice from the hall. “I was just coming down to say bye.”

Videl contemplated her next words carefully, nervous at what she was about to propose. “Hey, Gohan! I was just wondering, er, what time do you usually finish work on a weekday?”

Gohan blinked. “Normally around five, why? You want to do some more tutoring with Goten?”

“Kami, no,” she shook her head quickly. “He’s coming along just fine. Um… I was actually going to ask if you wanted to come hang with my friends and I on Friday night?”

Goten, who was still present in the room, whistled suggestively. Gohan shot him a sharp look, which immediately sent the boy packing into his bedroom. Once he was gone, Gohan turned back to a flustered Videl.

He fumbled with his words. “Oh geez… It’s, er, it’s been a while since I went out anywhere. But, I mean, um, why not? Where are you going?”

Immediately brightening at his response, Videl explained. “Well, it’s just gonna be a chill thing at my place. Have a few drinks, watch some movies, play cards…”

Gohan nodded slowly. “Yeah, okay. That sounds fun, actually.”

“Right, good to hear.” Videl smiled, looking at her shoes. “I already have your mobile number so I suppose I’ll just text you the details?”

“Sure, sure. Sounds good.”

Awkwardly shooting Gohan a thumbs-up, Videl then gestured to her belongings. “Well, I better be going now. I’ll see you Friday, yeah?”

Gohan finally returned her smile, nervous but genuine.

“Of course. See you, Videl.”

***

When Friday eventually rolled around, there was a tight, nervous feeling in Videl’s stomach. Concentration proved difficult at work, and even though Gohan said he would, she couldn’t help but doubt him showing up that night. Being a Friday afternoon, the students were as restless as her, so Videl allowed for some ‘silent study’ in final period. She knew very well that nobody was actually watching educational videos on their school laptops, but the energy to tell them off was impossible to muster.

The only reason she still had hope was because Goten continued to shoot her mischievous looks throughout class. From his expressions, she guessed that Gohan probably _was_ coming tonight, yet nothing could put her nerves to rest.

After an eternity, the final bell rang, dismissing the students in a hurry and allowing Videl to breathe freely. It was only four and the gathering started at six. She had plenty of time to prepare herself, yet it still didn’t feel long enough.

Why was she so nervous? She hung out with her friends all the time, and with Gohan, it should have been no different. Videl visited his house every weekend. They talked, they laughed, and they did dishes together. So, why did this feel so different?

A few nights earlier she had expressed her anxieties to Erasa, who had, like always, placated her.

_“You’re hanging out with him in a different environment than usual. Of course you’re going to feel weird! Besides, you’re not tutoring his son this time. It obviously has different connotations.”_

Videl didn’t even know if she wanted there to be different ‘connotations.’ She liked talking to Gohan, sure. And at this point in time, she had begun to consider him a friend. But Videl wasn’t stupid. She knew what Erasa meant.

It felt like she had invited Gohan because she considered him as something more. Perhaps a love interest.

The thought made Videl uncomfortable. She hadn’t been in a relationship in a couple of years and it had taken its toll. She didn’t ‘date’. She didn’t hook up. When Videl Satan liked someone, it was _serious_. And so the question begged: did she want to be _serious_ with Gohan? More importantly, would Gohan ever want something with her?

Videl rubbed her head, feeling a headache threaten to appear. She sipped some water to calm herself and mentally formed a resolution. Tonight was simply about having fun and getting to know Gohan. So, that was exactly what she was going to do.

***

Videl’s apartment was more luxurious than most single, thirty-year-old women in the area, and that was predominantly due to her father’s influence. While she had told him she wanted to pave her own way in life, that hadn’t stopped Hercule from paying her rent in advance and transferring money ‘for groceries’. Videl didn’t necessarily want, nor need, the money, but neither did her father. For that reason, she accepted his donations, using her wages to pay the bills and be generous where possible.

With everyone due to arrive soon, Videl waited impatiently. She regarded the alcohol on her kitchen counter with distaste. In her effort to be accommodating, she had gone a _little_ overboard, house resembling that of an alcoholic. A carton of beer, bottles of wine, cocktail ingredients and fruity pre-mixes decorated the apartment. Videl could only hope that the night didn’t end as messily as the drinks predicted.

Distracted by her own lamenting, Videl was knocked out of her musing by the doorbell.

“Coming!” she called, checking her appearance one last time in the mirror before scurrying to the door.

She pulled it open after a deep breath, relieved to see two blonde heads of hair on the other side.

The woman, Erasa, immediately moved forward to wrap Videl in a hug. “Vi! I’ve missed you.”

Grinning, Videl rocked them side to side in a happy dance. “I’ve missed you, too, ‘Rase! Tonight’s gonna be a lot of fun.”

From the doorway came a pretentious cough. “Ahem. Forget about someone?”

The two girls faced the source, unimpressed. “Really, Sharpener? Come here, you jerk.”

Joining the pack, the three old friends embraced tightly in appreciation of their lasting bond. Apparently, however, it wasn’t to last for long, as Sharpener noticed the stack of alcohol from over Videl’s shoulder.

“Woah-ho!” he cheered, breaking away from the hug to investigate. “This is some good stuff you’ve got, Videl. I’ve been dying for a good night out.”

Erasa huffed loudly. “Of course that’s all you care about. Unlike you, I’m genuinely interested in how Videl has been.”

“Oi,” laughed Sharpener. “So am I. I’m just equally interested in how wild we’re gonna get tonight.”

Videl crossed her arms. “Hey, we can’t get too wild tonight. I’ve got a new friend coming over and I don’t want to scare him off.”

“Scare me off?”

It took everything in Videl’s willpower not to scream. Her head whipped around, landing on an impish Gohan in the doorway. He smiled at her boyishly. Dressed in a button-down shirt and a loosened tie, it was obvious he had come straight from work.

“Gohan!” she exclaimed. “My gosh, you’re here earlier than I expected.”

“Gee, sorry,” he apologized, scratching the back of his neck.

“No, no, it’s fine! I just thought it would have taken longer from West City, but I’m happy you’re here.”

“Yeah, I got off a bit early from work. But what were you saying about scaring me off?”

Sharpener took this as an opportunity to introduce himself and stepped forward. “Videl just didn’t want to make a bad impression by getting smashed tonight. But you’re keen, right, man? I’m Sharpener, by the way.”

“Hey, man. I’m Gohan. And, er, I don’t know. I haven’t drank in a long time. Let alone _this_ much.”

Sharpener clapped him on the back. “It’s Friday night, brother. There’s no better time.”

Videl wanted to die. If only she had time to tell Sharpener beforehand to tone it down a little. Now, Gohan would never want to hang with them again.

“We’ll see,” Gohan laughed, giving Sharpener’s shoulder a friendly squeeze before turning to Erasa. “Hey, there. I’m Gohan.”

“Why, hello! Videl never mentioned you were a cutie. The name’s Erasa.”

“Lay off, Erasa,” chided Videl. “Don’t forget you’re engaged.”

“Calm down, Vi. A little compliment never hurt anybody.”

“Yeah, yeah,” she laughed. “Well, now that introductions are done, what does everyone want to drink?”

***

In all honesty, Gohan was a lot less awkward around her friends than Videl had anticipated. That wasn’t to say he wasn’t reserved – because he definitely was – but he possessed a quality that immediately attracted others to him. He was kind, he had a good sense of humour, and he just made people feel comfortable.

Therefore, the night so far had been quite enjoyable. They drank casually and talked about their lives for the most part, but card games also became part of the mix.

“Wait. Are you sure it’s me? I swear there was still another king to pick up!”

Laughing loudly at the predicament, Videl shook her head. “Nope, that’s the last king, Gohan. Drink up.”

“Sharpener got two kings near the start, remember? And I got one just before, so the King’s Cup is yours, Gohan!” Erasa grinned devilishly.

With an exaggerated grumble, Gohan picked up the glass to examine its contents. Beer, wine and now: rum and coke. This was quite potentially the worst thing Gohan would ever consume in his life. Meanwhile, Videl could only giggle, all too relieved that it wasn’t her.

“Get a move on,” she prompted. “You have to drink it all in one go.”

Taking one last breath of resignation, Gohan put the glass to his lips, immediately provoking a huge cheer from the table’s occupants.

_“We like to drink with Gohan, ‘cause Gohan is our mate! And when we drink with Gohan, he gets it down in eight!”_

_“Seven!”_

_“Six!”_

_“Five!”_

_“Four!”_

_“Three!”_

_“Two!”_

_“One!”_

As Gohan finished the drink just on time, everyone erupted with applause, most likely influenced by the alcohol in their system.

Sharpener ruffled Gohan’s hair. “Gohan, my man! You are an absolute legend.”

His only response was a groan.

Erasa and Videl shared a guilty look, but their amusement still dominated. “Gohan, you remember where the toilet is, right?”

“Um, yeah. I’ll be right, don’t you worry.” He wiped his face with his sleeve. “My stomach just needs to settle down. Then we can go round two.”

It felt like a university party. The four of them, too drunk for their own good, blabbering about like idiots. To the outsider, they might be deemed immature, but in reality, Videl was having the best time she’d had in a while. Even adults deserved to let go every now and then.

As the hours ticked by and the night settled, the four of them sat by the television telling stories. Sharpener was currently occupying Gohan with photos of his two-year-old daughter, while Erasa and Videl attempted to plan the blonde’s wedding.

“This is Stapelle when she was around eleven months. Isn’t she just the cutest? She used to do this thing, where her two…”

“No, I think I want lilies. Are lilies nice? Or maybe, like, blue hydrangeas. It depends what Marker wants, too, but he always…”

Over the chaos, Gohan and Videl looked up from their conversations, locking eyes at once. Videl offered a gentle smile. Despite his stupor, Gohan smiled back, waving to Videl with two fingers.

 _‘Tired?’_ she mouthed.

 _‘Very._ ’

Sensing the night was coming to a close, Sharpener spoke up. “Hey, I might order a taxi, if that’s okay? I’m starting to really feel it.”

“Of course that’s okay.” Videl responded. “I’m almost ready to collapse, anyway.”

Erasa yawned loudly, nonetheless still sipping her drink. “Mind if I share your lift, Sharp? It’ll save some cash.”

Sharpener simply nodded, already dialling the number on his phone.

“What about you, Gohan?” Erasa questioned. “Don’t you live pretty far out?”

Gohan waved away her concerns. “I’ll just fly. Don’t stress.”

“Sorry?” Videl raised an eyebrow, unamused. “You’re drunk, Gohan. You can’t fly a jet like this!”

He hummed. “Okay. Goten can pick me up.”

“It’s two in the morning, Gohan. You’re staying the night here whether you want to or not. Think of it as me returning the favour.”

Erasa giggled. “Returning the favour? Ooh la la.”

“Oh, shut it, you.” Videl slapped Erasa playfully, but couldn’t help the giggles escaping her own mouth.

Sharpener’s taxi arrived soon after, with him and Erasa gathering their belongings and saying their farewells. Though they had only met Gohan earlier that night, they were already very fond of him, promising to ‘catch up soon’. It seemed like Gohan had actually had a good night, so maybe the chances of that weren’t so slim.

Once everyone had left, Videl began to set up a sleeping situation on the lounge room floor. She took her mattress from her bed, along with the one in the spare room, and piled them with blankets. The television was still on, providing a low hum of background noise as the two settled into their respective beds. They had definitely sobered up after tidying, yet Videl’s mind was still racing too fast to fall asleep. She turned on her mattress to face Gohan, whose eyes were currently closed.

“Hey, Gohan?” she whispered.

“Hm?”

“Don’t sleep yet.”

He forced one eye open to consider her. “Why’s that?”

Videl shrugged. “I just want to chat. I don’t think I could fall asleep yet.”

With a low hum, Gohan nodded. “Okay. What did you wanna talk about?”

“I don’t really know.”

Gohan snickered quietly and began to contemplate. “What about your family? I don’t know much about them.”

“But everyone already knows about my dad.”

“Not me. Tell me what he’s like outside of the limelight. What sort of dad he is. And tell me about your mum.”

Videl felt a warmth spread through her chest. All of her life, people had asked about her dad for their own selfish purposes. It was never about him as a person or a father. Instead, it was always about the ‘saviour’. How he trained, how he beat Cell, how to join his dojo. When Gohan asked, though, it was different. She knew immediately from his tone that Gohan was asking about her father with no ulterior motive. And asking about her mother… Videl couldn’t remember the last time someone had even been interested.

“Well,” she started, her gentle voice breaking through the silence. “My dad has always been very protective of me. Even after I graduated high school, I wasn’t allowed to date any boy unless they beat him in a fight. I used to work for the police, y’know? And even though he let me do it, I could tell that it really played with his morals. He never wanted me to get hurt or put myself in danger.

“At the same time, though… there have been times in the past where he’s let me down. Especially when his fame was at its peak. He would go out on business trips every second week and leave the workers to look after me. Not to mention all the women he would bring home. It’s crazy to think that I’m nearly at that age. If I had a kid, I… I couldn’t fathom doing that to them.”

Gohan studied her, a delicate expression framing his face. “He sounds like a pretty good guy, if you ask me. I guess it would be difficult being caught up in the sort of fame… He never should have put you second, but at the same, it’s obvious to see he cares about you. Everyone makes mistakes.”

Videl’s lips curved up slightly. “Yeah, you’re right. Now that I’m older, I can definitely understand his actions more clearly. What about your dad? You’ve never really mentioned much about him before.”

“My dad?” Gohan rolled onto his back and stared at the roof, recollecting his memories. “My dad... he was the sun. Everywhere he went and everyone he met; he brightened their lives. He was a goofy guy. Carefree, loveable, generous. But he could be real serious, too. Especially when you messed with the people he loved.

“The thing with my dad, though, is that he loved to fight. Ever since he was a boy, he’s lived for it. So, sometimes it sort of felt like he was abandoning us. I know that’s bad to say, ‘cause he did so much and loved us dearly, but… He would go away for months, if not _years_ , at a time. He always came back in the end, sure, but that’s not the point. He left just so he could train or fight stronger opponents. And every time he did that, the sun would disappear.”

It may have been the alcohol, but as Gohan told his story, Videl began to cry. They were small tears – barely noticeable in that lighting – and they rolled down her cheeks with grace. “What happened to your dad?” she eventually spoke, voice uneven.

“He died.”

Gohan smiled bitterly, still staring at the white expanse of the ceiling.

“And the sun never came back.”


	5. Chapter 5

Videl had a headache. That was the first thing she noticed upon waking up. It was a chronic, pulsating headache that left her wanting to pull her hair out. Thankfully, her stomach felt fine, but part of Videl would have preferred a morning over the toilet than a morning with a pounding head.

As she forced her eyes to open and take in the gleaming sunlight, her gaze fell upon Gohan. Situated on the mattress beside hers, he was currently sitting up and scrolling through his phone. Infuriatingly, he also looked completely fine. If Videl hadn’t been there herself, she would have assumed he didn’t drink at all last night.

“Hello,” she attempted in greeting. Her voice was croaky and lacked volume.

Still, Gohan had heard her and turned to smile. “Good mornin’, Videl. How you feeling?”

Videl glared. “Not so good. My head is about to explode.”

Unlike most others, who would probably laugh at the predicament, Gohan’s expression turned to one of concern. “Crap, I probably woke you up, too. I’ll grab you some water, one second. Did you have any painkillers lying around?”

Caught off guard, Videl took a few moments to reply. How could someone be so kind? She dubiously pointed to the kitchen.

“Um, yeah. They’re on top of the fridge. In that little basket, see? I think it’s in a green box.”

“Gotcha.” Grabbing said painkillers and a glass of water, Gohan returned. “Get them into you now and rest up. Headaches are the worst.”

Overwhelmed by Gohan’s hospitality, she mumbled out a quiet thanks.

“Did you have a heat bag, Videl? Or a hot water bottle? Putting it on your neck or forehead will relieve some of the tension.”

Videl laughed to herself. “My gosh, Gohan. You really are great at looking after people.”

He scratched the back of his neck and shrugged. “Well, I have kinda been doing it for the past seventeen years.”

“Touché.”

Gohan laughed, slightly awkward. “Yeah. So, er, a heat bag?”

“Oh, right! Um, there might be one in my bedroom. I’ll be back.”

A few minutes later, she returned, hot water bottle in hand. “I’ve only got this.”

“That’ll be fine,” Gohan assured, taking it from her. “Now, go lie back down. I’ll bring it over to you.”

“Gohan, you might potentially be the nicest person to ever exist.”

“Nah,” he denied, bashful. “I’m just helping out a friend. Anyone would do the same.”

 _‘No, they wouldn’t,’_ she thought.

Digging her fingers into her temples, Videl sunk further under the blankets. “What’s the time, anyway?”

“Ten past seven?”

This only prompted a loud groan from Videl. It was even worse than last time. The hangover also hadn’t helped with her beauty sleep. “What’s with you being up so early on weekends?”

Gohan laughed. “Habit, I guess. I work from home on the weekends, remember? Besides, er… normally you’d be tutoring Goten in a couple hours.”

Videl blinked. And blinked again. Then swore loudly into her duvet. She sat up quickly, immediately regretting it as her head flared with pain.

“How could I forget?” she exclaimed. “Ugh, I need to get ready now or I’ll never make it in time.”

Gohan simply looked at her from where he was standing by the kettle. He smiled amusedly. “Videl?”

Currently midway through stomping to the bathroom, Videl paused. “What?”

“You’ve got a headache. You’re not coming today.”

She spun around quickly, giving Gohan a look of confusion. “What are you talking about? I got drunk last night, so it’s my fault. I have to come.”

“Videl, seriously, it’s fine. Coming to your house yesterday, I was prepared for something like this. You both deserve a break, anyway.”

“Gohan, I…”

“I’m serious, Videl. Take this weekend for yourself. It’s been awhile since I’ve been able to do anything with Goten, too, so… It’ll be good for both of us.”

Seeing that he wasn’t going to budge on this, Videl’s shoulders deflated with a mixture of relief and fatigue. “Alright, fine,” she conceded. “But you better make sure he’s doing his homework throughout the week.”

“Of course, I will. Now get back into bed. Your hot water bottle’s ready.”

Videl couldn’t help but flush at his mothering nature. She hopped back onto the mattress, embarrassed, and accepted the bottle gratefully. “Thank you.”

Gohan grinned. “It’s no problem.”

“Honestly, Gohan, _thank you_. And thank you for yesterday, too... it was really nice to hear about your dad.”

Gohan looked down, obviously self-conscious. “Oh, well… you too. But um, sorry about being all emotional and stuff. I guess it was the alcohol taking effect.”

“That’s _fine_ ,” Videl laughed. “No need to apologize.”

“Right, sorry.”

Videl rolled her eyes fondly. Of course he was the type of person to apologize for apologizing. “We should do it again sometime, hey?”

Gohan looked at her, mouth struggling to contain a smile. “Sure. I’d really like that.”

If Gohan wasn’t standing so far away, Videl might have been tempted to kiss him. There was something so enticing and so comforting about his presence, she wanted to relish in it forever. He was gentle, calming, but simultaneously, so strong. To have both of your parents pass away and to raise your baby brother from the age of twelve required something _more_ than strength. It required tenacity and an inviolable mind. Yet despite that, he remained kind. He held no bitterness towards the world whatsoever and continued to strive forward.

Videl admired him endlessly.

“You should try and get back to sleep, Videl. I have to head off now, unfortunately. I have work at ten.”

Disappointed, Videl struggled not to let her emotions show. “Oh, okay. Well, um… I’ll see you next week?”

“That you will,” Gohan smiled. “Feel better, Vi.”

And with that, he was out the door, still dressed in his crumpled workwear from the night prior. Headache coming back full force now that she was unoccupied, Videl buried herself in her duvet and held the hot water bottle gently to her forehead. She sighed, willing her heart to stop racing.

Videl Satan had gone and gotten herself too involved. Now she had to reap the consequences.

***

Three hours passed before Videl roused again, headache vanished entirely.

Relieved at this, she got to work immediately, clearing away the evidence of last night. Empty glass bottles and cans sat on nearly every surface, alongside food leftovers and paper plates. She sighed loudly, choosing a playlist from her phone.

This was going to take a while.

With the rest of her weekend now free, Videl decided that it was about time she visited her father at the estate. He had been inviting her around to dinner for weeks, yet she always managed to find an excuse to avoid it. After her chat with Gohan yesterday, however, she realised her selfishness. Yes, her father could be extravagant and annoying, but regardless, he was still her dad. He had raised her and loved her, so the least she could do was visit for dinner every so often.

She called in advance to let him know, guilt filling her body at his excitement.

_“Oh, Videl, this is fantastic! I’ve missed my baby girl. It’s not the same here without you.”_

“Dad, I’ve been living out of home for five years.”

_“I know, sweetie, but… it can get lonely. This mansion is too big for one man.”_

Videl bit her lip, immediately saddened. “Okay, Dad. Well, I’ll be there at six, alright? We can talk more then.”

_“Alright, Videl. See you soon, pumpkin.”_

***

Dinner with her father had been surprisingly pleasant. In the time she hadn’t seen him, he seemed to have calmed considerably, and talked to her like a parent as opposed to the world saviour.

She hadn’t noticed it as much before, but Videl had definitely missed him. The last time the two had seen each other was in May, three months ago, for Hercule’s birthday. Videl didn’t know if she had matured, or if Gohan’s circumstances had simply affected her profoundly, but she vowed to appreciate her father more from this day forth. Her mother had died when Videl was three, so he was all she had left.

With their meals finished and idle conversation filling the room, Videl decided to take the leap and ask him something that hadn’t left her mind since yesterday.

“Hey, dad? I was wondering if you knew any martial artists with the surname ‘Son’. My friend was telling me about his father being a fighter, but he didn’t tell me his name. I figured you might know him, y’know, considering you’re a fighter, too.”

Hercule’s rubbed his chin in thought. “Hm, ‘Son’ you say? Well… there was that Son Goku fellow who won the World Martial Arts Tournament before me.”

“Son… Goku?”

The name was familiar to Videl but she couldn’t put her finger on it. She hadn’t watched any of the old tournaments for at least ten years, so her memory was very foggy on the matter.

“Er, yeah. You know, he er, had the crazy hair and that orange gi. The youngest ever winner _and_ runner-up of the tournament.”

It clicked immediately. Videl knew _exactly_ who her father was talking about, now. And _of course_ that was Gohan’s father. The two looked uncannily similar, not to mention Goten’s hair in that family photo she had seen. Videl remembered watching Son Goku’s fights on VHS in high school. She had locked herself away in her room for days during the school holidays, watching every single tournament she could get her hands on.

She remembered Goku being extraordinary, especially considering his age. Even at twelve, he had whittled away at every opponent, only losing in the final to the prestigious Jackie Chan. But, if there was anything she remembered about Son Goku in particular, it was the fact that he used strange attacks and fired beams from his hands.

As though reading her thoughts, Hercule continued. “It’s a shame he was a trickster. He should’ve had that title revoked, if you ask me. In fact, I ought to challenge him to a fight myself. Prove who the real champion is!” With this, he erupted in a fit of confident laughter that Videl had learned to drown out long ago.

“Yeah, well, you can’t, dad. He passed away.”

Hercule blinked, calming himself. “Son Goku’s dead? And this was your friend’s father, you say?”

“Yeah. I’m a hundred percent sure of it, now.”

“Well… that’s a mighty shame. You should invite him ‘round for dinner sometime, Videl. It’s about time you started dating again.”

Videl groaned. “You’re kidding me.”

“I’m serious, pumpkin. You’re the biggest catch in the world. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”

“Thanks, dad,” she smiled fondly. “But it’s not that easy when you work full-time. And now I’m tutoring on the weekends, too, so…”

Hercule sighed, shaking his head. “Gosh, Videl. Let me pay for a holiday or something. And tutoring on the weekends? Why on earth would you even agree to that?”

“Well… my friend I was just telling you about… He’s actually the, er, father of the boy I’m tutoring. That’s how I met him. And they live miles away, so weekends are the only suitable time.”

Apparently, her father hadn’t heard that part, eyes bugging out of his head. “His _father?!_ Just how old is this ‘friend’, Videl? I won’t have you marrying some sleazy old geezer!”

“Dad!” she scolded. “I’m not even dating him! And besides, it’s complicated.”

“Complicated, how?”

“Well… He’s not _really_ his father. He’s his older brother. Both their parents died when Goten, my student, was just a baby. Isn’t that horrible?”

Hercule sobered at this and nodded his head slowly. “That’s awfully sad.”

Videl’s mind travelled back to the conversation they were having previously regarding Son Goku. If he was a trickster, did that make Goten and Gohan tricksters, too? She had seen them sparring herself, and nothing had looked out of the ordinary. They had fought well, with perfect balance and speed, but it was simply skill. Nothing more.

But then, before she could completely move on from her thoughts, she remembered something clearly.

*

_“How does Goten even get to school?”_

_“Oh, he flies.”_

_*_

_“Don’t you live pretty far out, Gohan?”_

_“I’ll just fly. Don’t stress.”_

_*_

Those conversations, paired with the lack of jetcopters she had seen, were instantly suspicious. How was it that Gohan and Goten could both travel such long distances every day? Was this the explanation she had been searching for?

Alongside Videl’s revelation came a feeling of uneasiness, though. Her mind was delving into information she wasn’t entitled to. Maybe, instead of all this internal questioning and dilemma, she ought to just ask the Son boys. It couldn’t be that hard.

Right?

***

The weekend passed and the school week began as usual. Her weekend off from tutoring had restored Videl’s energy more than she would like to admit, and even gave her more time to perfect her lesson plans.

With another day finished, Videl was surprised to see Goten approaching her after class. He looked determined yet slightly bashful, provoking a bout of concern from Videl.

“Hey, Miss. Could I have a second?”

“Of course, Goten. What’s up? Is it about the tutoring we missed?”

Goten shook his head. “Oh no, nothing like that. The weekend off did me some good, actually.”

Videl grinned, understanding fully.

“I was basically just coming to say,” he continued, “thanks for inviting my dad out on Friday.”

She paused and regarded Goten with furrowed brows. Of all the things she might have expected him to say, _that_ wasn’t one of them. Her smile turned awkward. “Um… that’s alright, Goten.”

“No, no, I mean… sorry, this is weird.” He scratched the back of his neck in thought. “It’s just… when he came home on Saturday, he looked happy, y’know? Like _really_ happy. So, er, thank you. He doesn’t really have a lot of friends and stuff, so I think he really appreciated it.”

Videl swallowed thickly and looked away. She couldn’t choose between feeling sorrowful or feeling gratified. How much had she affected Gohan to warrant his son’s thanks?

“I’m glad,” she responded, finally. “I really enjoyed myself, too.”

Goten smiled. “Oh, and Miss?”

“Hm?”

“Could you keep this between us?”

She laughed. “Of course, Goten.”

***

Saturday rolled around, and while Videl tutored Goten as thoroughly as always, there was something stewing in the back of her mind. The conversation she had with her father the week prior replayed in her memory, prompting the question:

Did Gohan and Goten use tricks?

She tried to convince herself that the answer to that question didn’t matter, because really, it didn’t. She got along well with both Gohan and Goten regardless, and they were both genuinely nice people. Their fighting style shouldn’t affect her perception of them. Nonetheless… it _did_ matter to Videl. Because if they were tricksters, then they were simultaneously liars. And the one thing Videl Satan hated most in the world was liars.

She pushed those thoughts to the back of her mind for now, focusing on the content before her. They were onto a new segment of history this week, focusing on Cell and The Cell Games. It was interesting, but Videl had been teaching it year after year, and had learned it all herself during her high school days. History never really changed, so it was safe to say she was bored with the topic at this point. Still, she marched forth.

“Alright, Goten. When you get your history exam, there are going to be quite a few questions about Cell, alright? The important thing is to read the question thoroughly, underline key words, and plan your answer in your head before writing anything down.”

“That’s a lot to do for one question.”

“I know. That’s why exams are notoriously tough.” Videl filtered through some papers before pulling a sheet out. She presented it to Goten. “This here is an example question. It’s similar to what you might get on the exam, okay?”

The question read: _How did Cell impact the world around him? Support your answer using appropriate evidence and references. (5)_

Videl continued. “It’s a pretty beefy question. See that ‘5’? That’s how many marks this question is worth. The important thing to remember here is that it’s a ‘how’ question. That means you have to explain your answer. You can’t just list things. You also need to use facts and figures to support your response.”

“Right.”

“You want to have a go writing an answer on your own?”

Goten shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”

“That’s what I like to hear. Off you go, then.”

***

With Goten having finished his work for the day, Gohan was just about to come out and say goodbye. Videl knew that this was her chance. She needed to ask _now_ , lest having to wait a whole week more for her answer. It was just a question. There was no heat behind it, no connotations. Just an innocent, curious question.

Gohan appeared from the hall, as anticipated, and Videl breathed deeply. This was it.

“All good to go, Videl?” he asked, peering at Goten’s work as he walked past.

Videl froze, eyes locked on her bag. Her feet wouldn’t budge and she refused to look Gohan in the eye. “Uh, yep.”

Gohan tilted his head as Videl remained seated. “You want me to walk you out, or?”

She stood up quickly, shaking her head. “Nope. All good. I…”

“…”

“I just wanted to ask you something quickly.”

Gohan laughed, running a hand through his untameable mop of hair. “Alright, shoot.”

Looking up, she locked eyes with Gohan and took in one last breath of air. It was now or never. So, she spoke.

“Can you fly?”


	6. Chapter 6

_“Can you fly?”_

For a moment, Videl could have sworn that Gohan froze at her question. His eyes widened marginally and his arms stilled, an action barely noticeable to the naked eye. However, his hesitation was over in a moment. His expression morphed into one of confusion and his head tilted to the side. The look he was giving her was _so_ perplexed, Videl was certain he was questioning her intelligence.

“Er, what?”

She wouldn’t back down so easily. Maintaining eye contact, Videl repeated firmly. “Can you fly?”

Gohan looked towards Goten and then back to Videl.

“Videl… What on earth are you talking about? Flying?”

“Yes. I’m asking if you can do it.”

Gohan laughed. He laughed as though what she had said was the best joke he had ever heard. In Videl’s opinion, it was completely overkill and only made her suspicions stronger.

“No, Videl,” he replied. “I can’t fly. Nobody can. Unless you mean in my jet, then sure, I can. But why the question to begin with?”

She crossed her arms. She didn’t necessarily _doubt_ what Gohan was saying. But the way he was tackling her innocent enquiry needed to be investigated. He was exaggerating his words and his actions in a manner that made Videl believe he was hiding something.

“Those people at the Cell Games could fly. Everyone saw on T.V. So it’s obviously not impossible.”

Gohan shrugged, an emotion briefly flashing in his eyes. Anger? Annoyance? Sorrow?

“Well, maybe you should go ask them, then.”

She narrowed her gaze. Videl didn’t like his tone. There was no need to be so worked up about a simple question. “Well, I know who your dad is. Son Goku used tricks, so who’s to say you don’t?”

At the mention of his father, Gohan snapped. “They weren’t tricks.”

Videl blinked in shock and took a precautionary step back. It seemed as though Gohan had gotten closer, and the brief look she had seen in his eyes moments ago had returned in full force. It wasn’t just anger or annoyance or sorrow. It was a combination of the three.

Noticing her retreat, Gohan seemed to calm himself. “My father never used ‘tricks’. I don’t even know who pegged them as such. He was a _great_ martial artist and he helped save the earth on many occasions. He doesn’t deserve to be discredited.”

Goten, who still stood meekly by the television, could only watch on.

“Save the world, when?” she shot back. Her father had always taught her that people who used fancy lights and smoke machines and mirrors were _nothing_ in the martial arts realm. Why would she believe someone she had known for a month over the man who had raised her?

Gohan could only shake his head. It was evident that he was trying to be as civil as possible for the sake of Goten, but currently, he was struggling. “Please leave, Videl. Tutoring is over.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Please leave.”

“You didn’t even answer my question properly! If they’re not tricks, then that means you _can_ fly!”

Gohan breathed deeply. “Videl. What don’t you understand about the words, ‘please leave’?”

“What don’t _you_ understand about a simple question? I’m not trying to cause a fight here.”

“I’m sorry, Videl. I’m not answering your questions until you’re ready for the truth. And judging my today’s display of disrespect and prejudice, well… that might not be for a while.”

Her fists tightened by her sides, nails leaving dents in the skin. “When did I disrespect you?”

Gohan scoffed. “You’re interrogating me like I’m some sort of criminal, Videl. And you accused my father – who you don’t even know – of using tricks. You’re here for Goten, okay? Not to grill me for information about my private life. Now, please. _Leave_.”

He had a point on that one. Sucking up her pride, Videl secured her bag on her shoulder before making her way towards the front door. “Whatever. I’ll see you tomorrow, Goten. Remember your homework.”

“Um… right. No worries.”

And then she was gone, door closing firmly behind her.

She didn’t know how the Sons were reacting at her departure, and quite frankly, she didn’t care to know. Instead, she threw her jet capsule onto the grass, slipping inside once the cloud of smoke had wafted away.

Videl couldn’t believe how blatantly Gohan had ignored her questions. First, he had pretended to know nothing about flying whatsoever, only to later claim that those sorts of magical tricks were _real_. Just what was Videl supposed to believe? Not to mention that he had lied to her face. He didn’t even look guilty about it, either.

Most of all, Videl was fuming with anger at what had just occurred. But as she flew her jet back towards the city, she couldn’t help but let a few small tears escape. Son Gohan was no better than any other man. He was a liar and a fake.

She couldn’t even remember why she had trusted him in the first place.

***

The following day, Videl struggled immensely to get out of bed. She was dreading her return to the Son house and only hoped that things had calmed down since yesterday. As Gohan had mentioned, the only reason she went there in the first place was to tutor Goten. And despite her personal feelings, she couldn’t bail on those duties.

So, with a heavy heart, she readied herself for the day, making sure all her belongings were in order before heading out the door.

Arriving at the Son house, Videl couldn’t get her racing heart to calm down. She was nervous to see Gohan since their argument, but regardless, wasn’t ready to apologize. In her opinion, he was in the wrong. He failed to answer any of her questions properly and had accused _her_ of disrespecting _him_. And who was he to judge when she was ready for the truth?

She reluctantly made her way up to the front door and knocked quieter than usual. Videl could only hope that Goten was the one to answer the door.

And it was as though all the gods above had answered her prayers, because he did.

“Hiya, Miss Satan. Come on in.”

“Thanks, Goten.” Videl followed behind anxiously, eyes darting to each section of the living area.

Noticing her concerns, Goten reassured her with an awkward smile. “Er. Dad is actually working at the main office, today.”

Videl didn’t know whether to be relieved or offended that he had avoided her.

“Oh. Well, that settles that, then.”

Goten took his usual seat and shrugged. “I guess so. You guys are going to sort it out, though. Right?”

Observing the hopefulness in Goten’s voice, Videl nodded hesitantly. It wasn’t enough to convince the boy, however.

“You guys get along really well. You were obviously both in a bad mood yesterday. You can’t let that get in the way of your friendship.”

“Of course, buddy,” Videl sighed, patting his shoulder comfortingly. This was the last thing she wanted to talk about right now. Especially when Goten was caught right in the middle of it all. “Let’s get into some work, though, shall we?”

“Right.”

***

When lunchtime rolled around, Videl was at a bit of a loss. She wasn’t a great cook and she didn’t quite feel comfortable rummaging around the Son’s kitchen.

“Oh, you don’t have to worry about that. Dad prepared some bento boxes for us. Here.” Goten opened the fridge and pulled out two immaculately wrapped meals. “Aren’t they nice?”

Immediately, Videl found herself doubting all the negative thoughts she had conjured about Gohan in the past day. Even though they had fought and he obviously didn’t want to talk with her at the moment, he had still gone to the effort to prepare this lunch for her. She couldn’t help the warm smile from spreading over her face.

“They’re super cute,” she complimented, undoing the knot on hers and taking a peek inside. “How on earth does he find the time?”

“Kami knows,” Goten laughed. “He’s a real people pleaser, that’s for sure.”

Videl turned to Goten. “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we take these along for a little walk? I’ve always wanted to see more of the land around here, and it’ll be a good chance to stretch your legs.”

Her student beamed with excitement. He was definitely the sort of kid who needed to stay active. His constant twiddling and pencil tapping had begun to turn Videl mad. “I’d love that! Let’s go, then. No time to spare.”

Videl laughed. “Alright. Thirty minutes only, though. We’ve got a schedule to stick to.”

“Of course!”

After Goten had woofed down his bento box, their walk was filled with him educating her on Mount Paozu wildlife. It was refreshing to see the passion and dedication in his eyes, rambling on about the different birds and where their nests were situated. He pointed to a cave in the far distance. Videl had to squint to even see.

“And see that? That’s where Icarus lives. Icarus is sort of like our pet dragon.”

“Dragon?!”

“Yep. Dad befriended Icarus when he was a kid. Obviously he’s a lot bigger than he was then, but he’s still super friendly. Doesn’t breathe fire or anything like that.”

Videl tsked. “Dang. I was hoping for it.”

Goten laughed happily. “Maybe you can meet him some other time.”

After that, the mood took a slight shift. They turned around to make their way back to the house, and Videl couldn’t help her mind from venturing back to yesterday. It seemed as though Goten’s thoughts were on the same path, because eventually, he spoke up.

“About yesterday…” he started.

Videl swallowed thickly, preparing herself.

“I understand why you asked those questions. You were obviously just curious and had pondered them quite a bit. And I know right now you probably don’t trust my dad very much.”

She could only nod at all these assumptions. Goten was a lot more insightful than he let on at school.

“But… I really want you to try and see things from his perspective.”

“He said I wasn’t ready for the truth. I don’t even know what that’s supposed to mean.”

Goten sighed. “I just think he felt you were a bit… accusatory. As soon as you started asking those questions, I don’t know, it felt like you were being a bit negative about it.”

Videl blinked. She couldn’t get mad at Goten. He was just trying to explain things to her. “Can you elaborate?”

“Well, for example… when you said that Goku used tricks… it didn’t sound very nice. You sounded pretty disgusted by the thought of it, to be honest. And obviously, you don’t know any better. That’s the way you’ve been raised, right? Mister Satan is always going on about them and how they’re a shameful representation of martial arts.

“But I could tell that what you said really hurt him. Especially when you doubted Goku saving the world. It sort of felt like… I don’t know.”

Videl raised an eyebrow. “You do know. Felt like what?”

Goten looked down. “It felt like you were spitting on his grave.”

She paused in her tracks and felt her chest tighten. Had she really come across as such a _bitch_? She replied worriedly. “I hadn’t meant that at all.”

“I know that. But dad can be sort of sensitive about that stuff.”

She pondered aloud. “He was really close with his dad, huh?”

“Definitely. And er,” Goten hesitated. “I really shouldn’t say this.”

Videl tilted her head, curious. “You don’t have to.”

Goten shook his head. “No, no. I will. But you can’t tell dad.”

“Alright...”

“Well, um. You might’ve already known that Goku died before I was born, right? But, er, what you might not know is _how_ he died.”

Videl really didn’t think she should be hearing this, but couldn’t bring herself to speak up. She waited patiently for Goten to continue.

“Goku fought Cell. At the Cell Games.”

Her breath caught in her throat. Gohan’s father had been at the Cell Games? That meant he _was_ one of those mysterious fighters. Suddenly, she didn’t like where this conversation was going.

Goten, noticing her change in expression, smiled tightly. It was grim and filled with a wistful melancholy. “Yeah… From what dad tells me, Goku gave his life that day. Sacrificed himself to save the rest of the world. And most of all, to save his son.”

Struggling with words, Videl bit her lip. She spoke quietly. “I was so rude yesterday. I really did spit on Goku’s grave.”

“You didn’t know,” Goten assured. “You just pushed some wrong buttons, but it wasn’t your fault.”

Videl shook her head strongly. “I need to apologize.”

“You should organise something in the week. Could be good for the both of you.”

“You’re a smart kid, Goten.”

“Awh,” Goten scratched the back of his neck and laughed bashfully. “Thanks. Oh, and try and take my advice from earlier, too. Open your mind, Videl. There’s so much more to the world than you think. You’ve just scratched the surface.”

***

Naturally, the first thing Videl did when she arrived home was boot up her laptop. Once it was on, she opened her internet browser and began to type furiously.

_‘martial arts tricks’_

Immediately, the page flooded with different results from the internet’s depths. Her eyes flickered over each of the article titles, looking out for any key words. The first page was mostly useless websites praising her father, so she clicked over to the next. Then, her eyes landed on gold. The page was titled, _‘A History of Martial Arts: Tricks or Talent?’_

Beneath the link was a small description.

_‘Feats such as flying, explosions and supersonic speed have been known as ‘tricks’ for decades now, but they weren’t always seen as such. We take a look back at The World Martial Arts Tournament and other historical events, where these tricks were witnessed, practised and celebrated, by many.’_

Videl clicked eagerly, desperate to know what sort of information lay on the other side. The page eventually loaded fully, and she began to read with wide eyes. She needed to take in as much as possible. Goten had been very informative, and if the things the Sons claimed were true, then her life was about to be flipped upside down.

_‘The World Martial Arts Tournament. A famous sporting event which dates back more than a century. Loved by millions all over the world. What has now become a global phenomenon, streamed and watched by millions, began with humble roots._

_But humble doesn’t necessarily mean unexciting. In fact, our evidence shows that back in the day, the tournament was much more diverse and electrifying than modern times. People flocked from all over the world, pushing their way through crowds to watch the world’s best fighters go all out. Despite its popularity, however, it was nothing like the event we see today. There were no sponsorships, no championship belt, no runner-up rewards. Back then, the tournament was solely about martial arts. The glory of winning. The exhilaration of an exciting match. Children fought against adults. And adults fought against monsters._

_Naturally, this brings us to a competitor once known as the greatest martial artist of all time. Appearing out of nowhere at the young age of twelve, Son Goku took the fighting world by storm. Alongside his best friend, Krillin, the two Turtle School students fought their way through the preliminaries and well into the finals. Son Goku was runner-up two years in a row, before finally taking the title at the age of eighteen. We took the effort of finding some of the witnesses of Son Goku’s fights, and have interviewed them for this article._

_Banan Ah, 74, tells us about Son Goku’s techniques._

_“Oh, no. They weren’t tricks. The technology back then wouldn’t have even been able to produce something so… phenomenal. The fighting I saw back then takes my breath away every time I think about it. They shot light from their hands. They produced mirror copies of themselves. They dove to the ground at terrifying speeds. But none of it was tricks.  
I know because I was there. I felt everything. Those beams would send vibrations through the floor. Tiles would crack because of the sheer power behind it. And what sort of ‘trick’ causes people to break bones? Those fights weren’t gentle at all. I’m just glad I got to witness that sort of strength before Satan came along and corrupted the world.”_

_A fellow martial artist and acquaintance of Son Goku, Yamcha Bandit, tells us about their training._

_“I never really understood why Hercule started calling them tricks, to be honest. And I don’t know why people believed him. I met Goku when he was just a kid and we trained our asses off to achieve that strength. There was no rest. Day after day after day, we would run, we would dodge, we would swim and we would crawl until we couldn’t stand anymore. People need to understand that martial arts isn’t just about weightlifting. It never was. It’s about finding a balance and utilising your inner energy. It is really sad that people are so confident in Mister Satan’s opinion that they won’t even try to discover these techniques for themselves.”_

Content with what she had read of this particular article, Videl returned to the search page and pondered what she had just learned. The interviewees seemed so genuine. They were extremely passionate and determined to tell the world that these ‘tricks’ weren’t as deceitful as her father made them out to be. Yamcha Bandit had a great point. Why did everyone believe these techniques were tricks without ever witnessing or trying them?

With these thoughts in mind, Videl was suddenly itching to witness such power for herself. There was a world out there, separate from the world her father had forged, and she yearned desperately to see it.

But first?

She owed Son Gohan an apology.


	7. Chapter 7

Videl lay on her bed, staring intently at her phone screen in deep thought. She was currently trying to compose a text to Gohan, inviting him to hang out with her on Wednesday evening. No matter what she wrote, however, nothing sounded right. It either came off as too desperate or too standoffish, and she needed the balance to be absolutely perfect. Sighing loudly at nothing in particular, she tried again.

_To: Gohan  
Hey Gohan, just wondering if we could catch up on Wednesday? – Videl_

That had to be good enough. Right? With a final huff, Videl hit the send button before throwing her phone to the other end of the bed. She couldn’t handle looking at it now. Instead, she distracted herself with tidying the apartment. It was a task long overdue.

It was around forty minutes later when she finally checked her phone for a response. And there was one, clear as day, on the notification screen.

_From: Gohan  
Sure. I have work till five. Does that suit? – GS_

She felt her heartrate pick up in relief.

_To: Gohan  
That’s perfect. I can meet you in West City if that’s easier? – Videl_

Two minutes later, her phone chimed again.

 _From: Gohan  
Too easy. You can meet me at Capsule Corp. Just use the intercom when you arrive and ask for me :)_ _– GS_

A smiley face? Were they already back on good terms? Videl didn’t want to assume anything and forced herself to calm down. She texted back in agreeance before finally putting her phone back down. Now that everything was sorted, it was time she continued cleaning. And if she did a little dance on her way to fetch the vacuum cleaner, well… no one needed to know.

***

Wednesday rolled around, and once work was finished for the day, Videl started the trek to West City. She had visited before, but it wasn’t a regular journey she made. Flying her jetcopter, she made sure to concentrate on the GPS. She didn’t have much time to spare if she wanted to make it to Capsule Corporation on time, and being late was _not_ an option.

Thankfully, she pulled up to the large establishment with a few minutes to spare. She awed at the sheer size of the place. She had seen Capsule Corporation in pictures but it didn’t compare to the real thing. If Videl were to take a guess, she would say that the complex was at least three times larger than her father’s estate. _That_ was saying something.

Hesitantly, she made her way up to the main entrance and spotted the intercom. She pressed the button gently.

_“Capsule Corporation. This is Sarah speaking.”_

Videl licked her lips nervously. “Uh, hi. I’m here for Gohan?”

_“And who am I speaking to?”_

“Videl. Videl Satan.”

There was a silence as the receptionist sorted through her files and contacted Gohan. Eventually, she replied.

_“Alright, Miss Satan. Make your way into the waiting room. He should be around ten minutes.”_

“Thank you!”

The door before her clicked open and Videl pushed her way through, taking in the surroundings. While Capsule Corporate was big, it wasn’t necessarily extravagant. It had simplistic décor and seemed to prefer function over beauty. She shot Sarah the receptionist a small wave before taking a seat on one of the available waiting chairs.

It was as the minutes ticked down that Videl’s anxiety worsened. She wondered how Gohan would react upon seeing her again. He had avoided her completely on Sunday, and Videl technically hadn’t apologised to him yet. There was a good chance he would come out, tell her to leave again, before storming away.

She took a deep breath and glanced at her phone for the umpteenth time. _5:03pm_.

It was at that point when footsteps and chatter sounded from the hallway. They were nearing her at a brisk pace. Videl listened in carefully.

“With the blueprints done for the prototype, we should be right to begin the first production tomorrow. I’ve checked with inventory and we have all the supplies ready.”

“Alright, and you’ve developed safe work procedures for the team to follow? Got the protective equipment in order?”

“Of course, Bulma. I’ve been doing this for ten years, have some faith.”

A laugh resounded. “I know, hun, but I have to ask regardless. Make sure you fill out the paperwork and have it on my desk first thing tomorrow.”

“Done and done.”

“Gohan, what would I do without you?”

The duo finally appeared in the doorway, dressed just as you would expect. Gohan donned his usual shirt and tie combination, while the woman beside him wore a lab coat over a formfitting dress. Videl blinked and forced herself not to double take. This woman must have been Bulma Briefs. The most powerful woman in the world. Videl swallowed thickly.

With their conversation finished, Gohan’s gaze finally met Videl’s. To her utmost relief, he offered her a relaxed grin. There was a guarded look in his eyes, but that was something they would sort through soon. She smiled back and lifted a few fingers in greeting.

Unexpectedly, it was Bulma Briefs who spoke first. “And you must be Videl! Gohan has told me so much about you.”

Videl stood up nervously and smoothed down her clothes. “Yes, that’s me, Mrs Briefs. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Oh, enough formalities.” And then, perhaps even more unexpectedly, the woman wrapped Videl in a tight hug. “You teach my son and Goten at school, too. You’re welcome anytime!”

“Oh… kay.” Videl blushed brightly. “Well, thank you.”

“You’re so kind, as well.” Bulma turned back to Gohan and winked surreptitiously. “Chi Chi would’ve loved her.”

“Bulma!” Gohan reddened to the same shade as Videl.

“I’m just playing around.” She squeezed Gohan’s shoulder and smiled at the two of them. “Thanks for briefing me, Gohan. I’ll see you tomorrow. You kids go have fun.”

Gohan rolled his eyes flippantly. “Not a kid anymore, Bulma. But thanks for the thought. I’ll see you soon.”

With that, Gohan gestured for Videl to follow him out the door, shooting Bulma one last wave over his shoulder.

***

The two of them walked side by side, shoes clicking against the pavement. The sun was moving towards the horizon slowly, leaving the sky with a warm, golden glow. It was pleasant outside. Not too hot, not too cold. Videl was glad she had chosen today to meet up. Despite her intentions, however, it was difficult to find the words to express herself. Did she apologize then and there? Or did she wait till they had found someplace to settle?

With her thoughts not coming to a particular agreement, it was Gohan who broke the silence first.

“Sorry about Bulma,” he began. His cheeks possessed a mirthful, red tinge. “She’s a bit of a jokester.”

Videl laughed softly. “No need to apologize for that. It was sweet.”

“Heh. Yeah…”

She bit the inside of her mouth and purposefully kept her gaze locked on the ground. She shouldn’t wait to apologize. She needed to get it out in the open. Otherwise, Gohan might begin to wonder why they were even there.

“Um,” Videl hesitated for a moment. “About Saturday…”

Gohan swallowed loudly before responding with a simple hum. Videl risked a glance in his direction. His expression was perfectly neutral.

“I wanted to apologize,” she divulged. This was more difficult than she anticipated. Videl distracted herself from overthinking by fiddling with her shirt. “So… I’m really sorry. For everything I said. It was out of line.”

Gohan was silent for moments afterwards, and Videl worried she had messed up entirely. Eventually, however, he responded slowly.

“Thank you… It’s alright, though. I wasn’t too nice either.”

Videl snorted. “Don’t be ridiculous. You were just defending yourself.”

Gohan laughed in response and ruffled his hair awkwardly. “Yeah, well, thanks.”

“And I know you probably don’t want to hear it, but I wanna sort of explain myself, as well.”

Gohan nodded as an invitation for her to continue. As though detecting her nervousness, he smiled encouragingly.

“Well, as you know, my dad is Mister Satan… the one who started all those rumours about tricks and things. I know it’s not really an excuse, but ever since he beat Cell, it was something I heard about often. He was always going on about what constitutes ‘real martial arts’ and how anyone who fought otherwise was a shame to the sport. I was eleven when it all started, so of course I believed him. Everyone in the _world_ believed him. And I suppose I never had any reason to think otherwise. Until now.

“So, when I said those things about your dad… it just blurted out naturally. And I’m really sorry for that. You were right. I wasn’t ready for truth. But I’ve done some reading now and I’ve been trying to open my mind to it all. So, er, when you’re ready to tell me about it, I won’t call you fake or be rude. I genuinely want to know more about you, Gohan.”

When she finished, she couldn’t bring herself to look at Gohan. She didn’t know how he would react. It was one of the first times Videl had admitted her wrongs. She had always been a stubborn person and apologizing was quite the difficult task. But for this cause, putting her pride on the line was worth it. Videl valued her friendship with Gohan more than she would have ever anticipated. The last thing she wanted was for a small argument to ruin that.

“Videl.” Gohan’s voice sounded firmly.

She reluctantly lifted her head. She didn’t quite know what she was expecting him to do, but smiling certainly wasn’t one of them.

“I completely understand,” he reassured. “Growing up in a society where it’s normal to believe those things would have made it difficult to accept anything else. So, thank you. Thanks for taking the time, I guess, to try and understand where I’m coming from. I really appreciate it. And for what it’s worth: I forgive you completely.”

It was a struggle to suppress the huge, toothy smile that Videl felt nudging at her cheeks. Her ears warmed at the spark in Gohan’s eyes. It was warm and inviting. Remarkably genuine. She was once again left in awe at the kindness in this man’s heart.

“Thanks, Gohan,” she mumbled appreciatively.

Their walk continued in silence. Not an uncomfortable or tense silence. It was content. Relaxed. Videl had a fleeting thought that she could walk like this with Gohan forever.

“I don’t know if you visit West City much, but there’s a great little restaurant around the corner here. Are you hungry?” Gohan asked, gesturing with his head at the shop sign.

“A little peckish, yeah. I might get something light.”

“Ah, well,” Gohan laughed bashfully. “They’re pretty used to _me_ eating here, so feel free to order as much as you want.”

She giggled. “Of course, what was I expecting?”

As they made their way into the small eatery, a burly man flaunting a moustache came sauntering their way. “Ah, Gohan!” he exclaimed joyfully. “Come in, my friend. Table for two? Lovely!”

They followed the man towards the back of the restaurant and he seated them in a semi-secluded booth. “Order anything you like. Everything’s on the house, for you _and_ your date!”

Videl sputtered. “Er, I’m not his date.”

Her feeble attempts went unnoticed, however, and the man danced away. Gohan looked at her sheepishly, his cheeks a dark crimson. “Sorry about Artur. He can be very… extravagant.”

“Why did he say everything’s free? Doesn’t he know how much you eat?!”

“Er, he does, yes,” Gohan admitted. “But he’s insisted on giving me free meals ever since I ‘saved’ his daughter.”

Videl’s interest piqued immediately. “Woah, how did you save her?”

“There’s quite a bit of crime around this area. I was on a stroll after work one night and noticed some thugs surrounding her.”

Videl’s eyes widened but Gohan waved his hands to diminish her concern.

“No, no. I don’t think it was anything of _that_ intent, thank goodness. But she had some expensive sneakers on. A bit of bling. And I could tell immediately that without my help, things might’ve escalated quickly. She didn’t have anyone with her, either.”

“That was really kind of you,” Videl praised. “But how did you get rid of them on your own?”

Gohan licked his lips. “I, er, fought them?”

Videl laughed. “Didn’t think you were the type for street violence.”

“I’m not,” Gohan defended weakly. “I tried to use words first, of course. But guys like that don’t have much going on up here.” He tapped his head. “So, I had to give them a little scare.”

“Like a superhero,” Videl mused.

“I guess so,” Gohan chuckled.

Suddenly, Artur had returned, immediately placing a candle in the middle of the table and lighting it. He waggled his eyebrows. “Romantic, hm?”

Videl and Gohan shared a bemused look.

“Um, yes, er… very nice. Thank you, Artur.”

Artur beamed. “Now, what can I get the both of you?”

Gohan started, giving Videl a bit more time to study the menu. “Could I grab… two serves of the fettucine? Also, the pierogi… and bruschetta for the entrée.”

“Of course, of course. And for the lady?”

“I’ll have the, um… mushroom risotto, please.”

“Lovely choice!” Artur complimented. “And for drinks?”

Gohan looked to Videl and all she could do was shrug. He rolled his eyes playfully. “A bottle of your house red, thanks, Artur.”

“Coming right up, my friend!”

And then he was off, leaving a pair of giggling adults in his wake. “He sure is something, huh?

“He’s very… enthusiastic,” agreed Videl. “It’s nice. Refreshing.”

Gohan grinned. “I’m glad.”

***

Once their food and drinks had arrived, the atmosphere between them seemed to have lightened up. Despite the amount of dishes before Gohan, he ate at a modest rate, leaving room for plenty of conversation. The wine hadn’t necessarily intoxicated them yet, but it definitely eased their inhibitions.

“I was thinking,” Videl wondered aloud. “What sort of training do you do? I mean, I saw you sparring with Goten that one time, but besides that.”

Gohan swallowed his mouthful and took a sip of wine. “Well, I can’t say I do much training these days. But when I was a kid, it was pretty hectic.”

“How so?”

Gohan paused in thought for a few moments. “When I first started martial arts, training mostly consisted of me being pummelled until I fought back.”

Videl blinked. And then blinked again. “Um, _what?_ ”

Gohan blushed. “Er, not good?”

“Gohan, what the hell? That’s not training! That’s abuse.”

Gohan shook his head quickly. “No, no, no. Not abuse. It wasn’t abuse. They were just tough on me.”

She raised a sceptical eyebrow. “Gohan…”

“Videl,” he spoke confidently. “It’s _fine_. It wasn’t abuse. Trust me. The stakes at the time were very high. If I wasn’t strong enough, I would have died.”

She swallowed thickly and took a large sip of her wine. “That’s something we need to talk about at some point. But, er, not over dinner.”

“Sorry,” Gohan apologized meekly, tucking back in to his meal.

Time passed, and soon, their plates were polished. There were only a few drops of wine left in the bottle, with both Gohan and Videl donning content smiles. “Good, huh?”

Videl nodded enthusiastically. “ _Really_ good. It’s been a while since I’ve eaten out. Thanks for this, Gohan.”

“Hey, you’re the one who invited me to hang out. Thank _you_.” He grinned mischievously.

Videl felt her insides warm at the expression. “What’s the time?” she spoke aloud, checking her phone. “Only six thirty. What did you wanna do, now?”

Resting his head against his hand, Gohan hummed in thought. “I don’t know,” he whined. “I’m bad at making decisions.”

“Well, we still need to figure out a way to get home. I think we’ve both had a bit too much to drink.”

“We could fly?”

Videl groaned. “Get it through your thick skull! You can’t fly while drunk, Gohan. It’s illegal.”

He tilted his head. “Well, I wasn’t referring to a jetcopter.”

Videl paused. “You mean… you _can_ fly!” she exclaimed, perhaps a bit too loudly for a small restaurant. A few glares were sent their way.

Gohan laughed. “I didn’t quite mean _that_ , either. Should I show you? It’s pretty nifty.”

She was getting more confused by the second. “Gohan, I–”

Spontaneously, he had grabbed her hand with his own and was tugging her towards the exit. “C’mon, Videl!”

She followed behind loyally, feet scurrying quickly to keep up with Gohan’s pace.

“Thanks, Artur!” Gohan had yelled out as they left. “Delicious as always!”

“Gohan,” Videl breathed. “Where are we going?”

Gohan looked back at her and beamed. She tried to ignore the fact that their hands were still intertwined. “You’ll see,” he teased.

They continued at a fast walking pace until the buildings began to thin out. She watched as Gohan took a cautionary glance around them. “Alright, you ready?”

“Ready as I’ll ever be.”

Gohan laughed at her scepticism. “Here we go, then.” He turned to the face the sky and cupped his hands around his mouth.

Videl took a cautionary step back as a yell escaped from Gohan’s mouth. If there was anything Videl expected from tonight, _this_ wasn’t it.

“Come to me, Flying Nimbus!”

***

Turns out, this ‘Flying Nimbus’ was a flying, yellow cloud. Videl wasn’t sure if there was something other than alcohol in that wine, but it felt like she was dreaming. After some convincing from Gohan, a stupefied Videl made her way over the cloud and touched it gently. Contrary to her expectations, it felt solid beneath her fingertips. It bounced and jiggled, but regardless, her hand didn’t pass through.

“See, Videl? It’s perfectly safe. C’mon, I’ll be here the whole time.”

Not one to back down or be deemed as weak, Videl bit the bullet. “Fine,” she conceded. With one last deep breath, she leapt into the air and closed her eyes tightly. And to her utmost relief, landed on the surface with ease. She awed at the magical cloud, lifting her stunned eyes to meet Gohan. “This is… amazing. How?”

Gohan could only shrug. “I honestly… don’t know. But not everyone can actually ride Nimbus. You must be special.”

Videl furrowed her brows. “What do you mean? I didn’t do anything.”

Gohan joined her on the cloud and sat cross-legged. He smiled up at her charmingly. “It’s not because of anything you’ve _done_. It’s because of your heart.”

She kneeled down so they were on the same level. “You’re still not making any sense, Gohan.”

“Only those with a pure heart can ride Nimbus. Which means I was right this whole time. You’re a great person, Videl.”

Videl swallowed the lump in her throat. The two of them were awfully close, and she couldn’t help her gaze from falling down to his lips. She quickly averted her eyes and cleared her throat. “I guess I could say the same about you, then.”

Gohan laughed softly, breath fogging in the air. “What do you say about a little magic carpet ride?”

“I don’t know… Is this really safe?”

He shrugged playfully, and before Videl could even utter a retort, Nimbus was shooting into the air. A scream ripped from her throat involuntarily and she attempted to grip onto the cloud’s surface.

“Gohan!” she cursed over the gusting winds. “I’m going to kill you!”

“Calm down,” he reassured jovially. His hair blew wildly with the currents and his eyes sparkled with something enchanting.

Videl had never thought this about anyone before, but… Son Gohan was exquisite. She couldn’t tear her eyes away. Soon, his smile became infectious, and Videl hollered to the sky with joy.

“Amazing, isn’t it?” he yelled over the wind.

Videl nodded enthusiastically.

Gohan gestured to the ground below. “Take a look!”

Finding her courage, Videl slowly edged towards the edge of Nimbus and peered over. Her breath left her at once. No longer were they anywhere near the city. Instead, they flew above fields of green. Flowers of all different colours danced among each other, animals dozing in their natural habitat. Rivers flowed through the land and shone with the reflection of the night sky. Even in this darkness, there was a delicate beauty to be found within nature.

She glanced back up. “Reminds me of Mount Paozu. This peacefulness.”

“Doesn’t it, just?”

Videl lifted her eyes to the sky. Out here, the stars were as bright as the sun. She could pinpoint every individual dot and felt her mouth twitching at the sight. At this point in time, she wanted to stay on Nimbus forever. Flying around without a care in the world, cold air in her face. She sighed contentedly.

“Videl.”

Gohan’s voice knocked her from her reverie and she lowered her eyes with a soft smile. “Yeah?”

He studied her for a few, long seconds. There was something in his eyes. An expression that Videl couldn’t quite decipher. She didn’t dare speak, however. The silence spread into something tranquil.

Eventually, he whispered out a response.

“Can I kiss you?”

Videl’s breath stuttered and she struggled to form a coherent thought. But she knew what she wanted. She’d known for a while now.

“Of course,” she exhaled. “Of course.”

With a final smile of relief, Gohan leant forward and slowly pressed his lips to hers. It was delicate, soft, and his lips were slightly chapped, but it was everything Videl could have hoped for. She leant into the embrace and rested her hand against his cheek. As Nimbus continued to float through the sky and Gohan’s lips ghosted over hers, there was only one thought running through Videl’s mind.

_Son Gohan._

_Son Gohan._

_Son Gohan._


	8. Chapter 8

After the kiss they shared on Wednesday night, Videl couldn’t seem to stop thinking. When Gohan had dropped her home on Nimbus, there had been no other emotion than elation. Her stomach swam with butterflies and her lips tingled with the memory of what had occurred. It should have been simple. She liked him and he evidently liked her. The next step was to start dating, right?

Not quite.

Every time Videl thought about Gohan, her mind wandered back to every conversation they had shared. And while they had been lovely, when it all came down to it, she still knew nothing about him. His childhood was a total mystery he refused to disclose, he skirted around the edges of his parents, and he continued to dodge every question she threw about his mysterious ‘powers’. Not to mention, Videl didn’t even know the basics. Who were his friends? What was his favourite colour? Favourite book?

Nothing.

She practically knew nothing about Gohan. And in return, he likely knew nothing about her. What sort of relationship was that? Certainly not one Videl was keen to commit to.

When the weekend rolled around, Videl didn’t quite know how to behave. In spite of what had happened, the two of them had shared zero communication since. Gohan wasn’t an avid texter, so it didn’t necessarily feel personal. But it still left Videl in the unknown: a place she hated more than anything. So, when she arrived at the Son house on Saturday morning, it was with trepidation.

She didn’t know what she was expecting. For Gohan to answer the door and welcome her with a passionate kiss? To walk inside and see him lying seductively on the couch? But, when Goten answered the door and invited her in to an empty living area, it was apparent that nothing had changed.

Videl smiled at her student awkwardly, unaware if he knew what had happened. “You keen to do some practice essays for literature?”

Goten cheered sarcastically. “Ready as I’ll ever be, Miss. I’ll just apologize in advance.”

She tutted. “No good going in with that attitude. We’ve talked about a lot of this stuff. Make sure you read the prompt, formulate a plan, and then write coherently. You’ll be fine.”

“Right,” Goten nodded.

They set up the table so that everything was in order before Videl slid over the exam prompt. “Your time starts…” She checked her watch. “Now.”

***

Lunch was… interesting, to say the least.

Although some doubts had begun to appear in Videl’s mind, it was evident that her interest in Gohan remained prominent. They conversed like normal adults for the sake of Goten (and their own humility), but the brief glances and the secret smiles were difficult to ignore.

Videl was facing a dilemma. There were so many mysteries in Gohan’s life. There were things that he insisted on keeping private. He was always careful with his words, like walking on a tightrope. In the part of his life Videl wasn’t involved in, Son Gohan was concealing something big. A whole world’s worth of secrets.

And it shouldn’t have mattered. The temptation of being with Gohan should have been enough.

But it wasn’t.

Videl had always valued the truth over everything. And if she couldn’t have Gohan’s truth, then she couldn’t have him at all.

***

When Goten had finished studying for the day, her visit came to an end as usual. She complimented Goten on a job well done, packed up her things, and waited for Gohan to appear in the doorway.

He did, just as expected, but there was an expression on his face Videl couldn’t quite interpret. “How’d he go?”

She nodded and smiled in Goten’s direction. “He did great. We got through a lot today. I’ll mark his practice essay and have it back for tomorrow.”

“Sounds perfect.”

Videl tapped her bag and gestured towards the front door. “Alright, well… I best be off. I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

“Videl, wait.” Gohan interrupted. She swallowed thickly. “I’ll, er, walk you out.”

Dread rushed through her veins. A one-on-one conversation? She didn’t know if she could handle it. Regardless, she nodded slowly. “Okay.”

As they made their way outside, Gohan closed the door behind him and turned to her. His eyes were shining as usual, but there was reluctance in the way he held himself.

“So… I’ll see you tomorrow?” he started awkwardly.

Videl couldn’t help but laugh. “Of course you will.”

“Right. _Right_. Well, um. I’ll see you tomorrow, then.”

“Yep. I’ll see you then.”

Silence lingered. It was deafening. Yet despite the discomforting air between them, she couldn’t bring herself to look away. His gaze fell to her lips – oh _Kami_ – and then he was moving forward to tuck a hair behind her ear. Suddenly, jarringly, she whipped her head to the side to avoid his touch. Videl clenched her eyes shut, horrified. She couldn’t bear to see the expression on Gohan’s face.

Slowly, she opened her eyes to take a peek. It was just as she had anticipated. His eyes were doused with hurt and he had retreated a step or two. She bit her lip harshly. She couldn’t remember feeling this awful in a long time. She had faced the cruel hand of rejection herself many times, and it was torturous.

“Gohan…” she started softly. “I’m sorry.”

“I thought…” he murmured. “I thought… Wednesday… we…”

She sighed deeply. “I know, Gohan. I enjoyed it. I really did. But, the truth is, I know nothing about you. And I don’t know how I can be with someone I barely know. If you could just open up…”

Gohan shook his head fervently. He looked to his feet in shame. “I can’t, Videl. I just can’t.”

“But _why_?” she pressed.

He looked up, face torn with a plethora of different emotions.

“Because, Videl. If you knew who I really was, you’d never come back.”

She didn’t quite know what to make of that. Instead, she could only sigh deeply. She offered him one last smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m sorry, Gohan.”

And with that, Videl turned away, walking a few paces before releasing her jet onto the grass. She couldn’t look back now. If she did, and saw that expression on Gohan’s face, she wasn’t sure she could ever leave.

She leapt into her jet quickly and wiped her eyes with the sleeve of her shirt.

Yes, she had been rejected many times.

But rejecting someone else?

That hurt worst of all.

***

With too much to think about on her own, Videl organised dinner with her father again for that night. He had matured a lot over the past year and it would be good to hear his perspective. Ten years ago, she would have wanted nothing less than to share her love life with her father. But they had both reached points in their lives where they valued each other’s company more than anyone.

He welcomed her inside with an enthusiastic hug as usual, but almost immediately, he noticed there was something wrong. “What’s the matter, pumpkin? You don’t look so good.”

She shrugged. “I don’t know, dad… We can talk about it over dinner. For now, I wanna hear about your life.”

“If you say so,” he frowned. “Now come on in. I want to show you what I’ve done with the fifth bedroom.”

Videl snorted, more than glad to be distracted by her father’s sudden passion for interior design.

Once dinner had been prepared, it became evident that Hercule was still worried about her.   
He fiddled with the peas on his plate, rolling them back and forth. “C’mon, sweetie. Can you tell me what’s wrong now?”

She sighed, placing her fork down. Might as well spit it out. “Do you remember that guy I was telling you about? Son Goku’s son?”

“What did he do, Videl? Did he hurt my little baby? I’m gonna teach that boy a lesson!”

Exasperated, she rolled her eyes. “Calm down, dad. He did nothing wrong. It’s just…”

Hercule settled himself and regarded Videl with concerned eyes. He waited patiently as she gathered her thoughts together.

“I _really_ like him. He’s one of the kindest men I’ve ever met. And on Wednesday… we kissed.”

Hercule’s eyes widened. “Then what’s the problem, pumpkin?”

“He wants something more, now. Which would be fine in any other circumstance. But he hasn’t told me much about himself. Every time I ask certain things, he evades the question and moves on like everything’s fine. But I hate secrets, dad. You know I can’t stand them. So, what am I supposed to do?”

“Did you tell him this?”

Videl nodded solemnly.

“And?”

“It was strange. He said that if I knew who he really was, I’d never come back. Like, what the _hell_ is that supposed to mean?”

Hercule stroked his greying moustache in deep thought. “Maybe he’s a criminal of some sort, Videl. Doesn’t sound good to me.”

She shook her head vehemently. “No. He can’t be a criminal. Honestly, dad, Gohan is the most caring person in the world.”

“Well, that’s what he _wants_ you to think. But, er, what did you say his name was again?”

“Gohan.”

Hercule furrowed his brows. “That name is strangely familiar.”

Videl blinked. “Well, didn’t I mention him last time?”

“But you never said his name, Videl. This is the first time I’ve heard it.”

“Okay. And…” she prompted.

“I’m serious, Videl. I’ve heard that name before. In some distant memory. But I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“I mean… I think his dad was at the Cell Games, actually. Maybe you heard about him from Goku?”

“Sweetie, Son Goku wasn’t at the Cell Games. Only those fraudster blonde folks and…”

Hercule’s gaze jolted up, stricken and horrified. Videl worried her lip in concern. What on earth had he just remembered?

“Er, dad?”

He didn’t reply.

“Dad!” she tried again.

Knocking himself out of it, Hercule’s expression turned strict. He turned to her with all seriousness. “Videl. Listen to me and listen to me good. You stay away from that boy. Don’t be going to his house anymore.”

If there was anything Videl was expecting, it wasn’t that. “I’m sorry?”

“You can’t visit that man anymore, Videl. He’s dangerous.”

Videl stood up, angry. “What the hell are you talking about? You didn’t know who he was three seconds ago!”

“Well, I have an idea now. And I don’t want my baby girl near him.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s _Gohan_. He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Hercule scoffed.

“Tell that to Cel—” He stopped himself short, breathing heavily. His eyes were opened wide, pleading with Videl not to comment on his slipup. 

She had noticed, alright. And she wasn’t happy. “ _What_?”

“It’s nothing, Videl.”

She slammed her fist onto the table. “No! What were you about to say? What does Gohan have to do with Cell?”

Hercule remained quiet, eyes locked on his now cold roast.

“Dad. Answer me.”

“I don’t know what I was talking about, Videl. I got this fella mixed up with someone else.”

“Bullshit.”

“I’m serious, Videl. Now eat your pork.”

She fumed. How dare he brush her off like that? “No. I’m going home.”

Hercule tutted. “But sweetpea…”

“No, dad. I’m going home. You know how I feel about secrets and lying.”

“But I’m not lying to you, Videl.”

She grabbed her bag off the kitchen stool and stormed her way towards the grand foyer. “Yeah, why don’t you tell that to Gohan? You and he are just as bad as each other.”

And with that, she opened the front door and made her way outside, slamming the door behind her.

Why was everyone treating her like a child? They were keeping secrets and withholding information as though she couldn’t handle the truth. Videl had had enough. She couldn’t bring herself to fly home right now. Instead, she made her way through the front garden of the estate and out onto the street. She needed to take a walk to clear her head. There was a bigger picture to all of this and she needed to figure out what it was.

Son Gohan and her father. Connected somehow?

Maybe, just maybe, that was the key to it all.

***

A/N: A much shorter chapter this time around but I thought this was an appropriate place to finish. I know the kiss in the last chapter might have seemed too soon, but it was necessary to prompt some more drama. Hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks for all your reviews!

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought of this! The idea has been on my mind for a long time now. Also, suggestions are more than welcome! Thanks :)


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